66 Judge, Jury, Executioner
by ARtheBard
Summary: The team travels to Lexington, SC to figure out why someone is targeting businesses with bombs concealed within toys. Why these people? Why these businesses? Why these methods? The team has to figure it out quickly before the bomber can finish killing the people on his hit list.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Ayep, I am back. Do y'all know how much I wish I could win the lottery and just have the farm and these stories to work on? Would be so nice. **

**So here is number 66 for your enjoyment. Still contemplating 67 and getting notes ready for ATF 3. So much going on. See, if I didn't have to work life would be so much easier. :o)**

**ENJOY!**  
**AR**

* * *

"I don't want you going, Jen."

JJ turns and glares at her wife. "What?"

"Jen, you know bombers. They have a mission and they get pissed when people interfere. Sometimes they even send bombs to the police station to disrupt the investigation and- -"

"Fuck that! You're not going to order me not to do my job!" JJ says angrily as she shuts the door.

"I don't have the authority to order you not to go. But just listen to reason, Jen!"

"Like he couldn't send a bomb here? Really?"

Emily drops her things on the table and leans on it. "You know as well as I do the FBI mail facilities, and the building in general, are better equipped to detect a bomb and stop it before it reaches an agent's desk!"

"Don't fucking try to wrap me in bubble wrap, Emily. I'm a damn good agent and I know how to be careful!"

"FUCK, JEN! I don't doubt any of that! But can you tell a package has a bomb in it? What if a cop opens it and sets it off by accident? Then what? You _know_ it could happen! It has nothing to do with your abilities and EVERYTHING to do with the profile of a bomber. I don't want you going, Jen. And if I was the pregnant one, you'd be saying the same damn thing to me."

"And you'd be just as pissed!"

"Fuck yeah I would be! But then I'd put aside my fucking feelings and think about Lucas and Madison." Emily takes a deep breath. "Jennifer…help us from here. Please. For the babies."

"How _dare_ you think I don't know how to protect my babies."

JJ glares at her wife a moment then turns and storms out of the conference room, leaving Emily to wonder if she'd gotten through to her or not. Emily leans on the table. She knows she is right but she could have handled it better. She takes a couple of deep breaths and grabs her things to go get ready to leave in a couple hours.

* * *

It doesn't take a genius to feel the chill in the bull pen air. Reid slides his eyes between Emily and JJ. He lifts an eyebrow as Emily sits down. She gives him a subtle shake of her head, letting him know not to ask. He just nods and gives her a sympathetic smile. He takes a deep breath and turns to JJ.

"You know, Jayje, I was thinking that since we're dealing with a bomber- -"

She stands and wags a finger in his face, furious. "Don't you DARE jump on her side and tell me to stay behind! I won't stand for being ganged up on!"

She turns and storms out of the BAU, headed for the bathroom. Reid looks at Emily.

"I swear: I wasn't going to say she should stay back."

"I know, Reid. My fault. Sorry you got caught in the crossfire." She pulls out her phone and sends a text. "_I pissed off Jen. She's in the bathroom."_

She gets a response a moment later. "_On my way, Emster."_

Emily sighs in relief. She looks at Reid. "I suggested Jen stay back. Bombers get pissed when they get investigated."

Reid nods. "And you're scared a bomb could be sent to the police, putting her and the babies in danger."

"Am I wrong?" Emily asks defensively.

"Not at all, actually. I'm kind of mad I didn't think of it myself."

"Reid, someone could set it off by accident. Or he could change the trigger method for the cops and the minute it's opened it blows. Any number of things could happen to endanger her and the twins. I suggested she help us from here."

"And she accused you of being over-protective?"

"And of not trusting her to protect the babies." Emily rubs her face. "I fucked up, Reid."

"Something tells me you handled it as best you could. She'd have been pissed no matter what."

"Maybe." Emily sighs. "Fuck me."

Reid just gives her a supportive smile, knowing if JJ does go the entire team will end up getting accused of coddling her…because that's what they will do.

* * *

Garcia walks into the bathroom to find JJ pacing between the wall and the sink. Her face is red and the analyst is immediately worried.

"Honey, I don't know what happened but please calm down for the babies."

JJ spins on her friend, paralyzing her with a stare. "Don't you DARE start in on me, too! I don't need ANY OF YOU telling me how to care about my babies!"

Garcia's mouth is agape. JJ starts to pace again. Garcia works her mouth a few times silently before words actually come out.

"I…I…obviously stepped in a steaming pile of puppy doo. Um, I just knew Emily pissed you off and- -"

"DON'T say her name around me!" JJ orders.

"Um, uh, okay. So, uh, your wife," JJ glares at her. "Um, you're significant…" JJ glares again. "Um, the other female profiler on the team pissed you off?" JJ nods. "Dare I ask how?"

"She suggested I stay behind in case the bomber attacks the police station."

Garcia waits for me. "Um, okay…and?"

JJ rolls her eyes. "She would be so fucking pissed at me if I told her to stay behind because she's pregnant!"

"Or she could be remembering the time she _didn't_ stay behind when pregnant and was taken captive by a man planning to rape her, lobotomize her, and raise Rocky as his own," Garcia points out.

JJ comes to an abrupt halt. She is staring at herself in the mirror. She slowly brings a hand up to her cheek. Her cheeks are bright red, testament to her high blood pressure at the moment. Garcia sees the change in her best friend's demeanor and steps towards her.

"Jayje, is there a chance he could attack the station? Or is she being unreasonable? I mean, I don't know the things you all do."

JJ walks up and leans on the sink. She turns the cold water on and gathers a handful, splashing it on her face. She lifts her head and stares into her own eyes reflected in the mirror.

"Bombers notoriously don't like to be confronted and, if they are mission based like this one seems to be they despise being knocked off their plans. To get attention off their potential targets they will either send missives to the newspapers or…or send bombs to secondary locations to draw attention there. In some cases, they have attacked the precincts where the case against them was being developed." She turns and leans back against the sink and finally meets Garcia's eyes. "So, no, Emily wasn't being unreasonable. I was." She takes a deep breath. "You were here, Pen. When that…bastard took her…could she have done something to get away?"

Garcia shrugs. "He threatened the victim he was currently holding as well as shooting Emily in a way to kill Rocky. She went to try to save both your child and the woman. And she did!"

"If a bomb is sent to the precinct not even wearing my Kevlar vest could guarantee Lucas and Madison would be okay. I am such a fucking ass."

Garcia gives her a small smile. "Maybe blame hormones? And a lack of peanut butter covered dill pickles?"

JJ chuckles a little and runs her fingers through her hair. "I so owe her a huge apology. But first I need to speak with Hotch so I can give her peace of mind to go with the apology."

Garcia smiles. "Go get 'em, chica."

JJ just gives her a nod and goes out. She walks into the bull pen and sees Emily trying hard not to look her way. It stabs her heart. She also sees the look in Reid's eyes: disappointment. She sighs. It adds a second dagger to her cardiac muscle.

"Fuck," she mumbles as she walks up to Hotch's office and closes the door as she walks in. "Hotch, I can't go with you all."

Hotch sets his pen down and studies her. Her face is still flushed, thought not as bad as when Garcia found her. But it's her eyes that strike him the most.

"Why do you look guilty? Do you know something about this case?"

"What? No!" she says in shock. She manages a chortle. "Um, no, I'm not associated with a mad bomber. Promise." She takes a deep breath and tells him about Emily's request and her blow up, no pun intended. "But, reality is, she's right. I have to stay behind, Hotch, for the babies. I can't risk them."

Hotch nods. "You're right. And I should have thought of that myself and saved Emily your anger."

JJ grins. "So can you take my knocks for me?"

He grins. "Sorry. I think you need to take those yourself."

JJ sighs. "I was afraid you'd say that. I'll work with Garcia to help her refine searches and weed out things you may not need before she sends it. I just need you to do something for me."

"Name it," he offers with a nod.

"All of you stay safe? Otherwise I'll wonder forever if I could have done something to help you if I was there in person."

Hotch grins. "We'll wrap Emily up in Kevlar bubble wrap."

JJ laughs. "Thanks, Hotch."

She leaves his office and sees Emily is on the phone. She walks by and gestures up to the conference room. Emily just nods, her eyes worried. JJ goes on up and paces calmly until she senses her wife in the doorway. She turns as Emily closes the door.

"Hi. Can we talk?" JJ asks.

"Depends. Are you armed?" Emily asks dryly as she lifts her eyebrow.

JJ chuckles. "Nope. Gun is in my purse."

"Then sure, we can talk."

JJ steps towards her wife. "I was wrong and you were right. I should have thought about the profile of a bomber and offered to stay back. And when you brought it up I should have listened to you with a rational mind instead of losing my shit and being a complete jackass. I'd blame hormones but, truth is, I was just mad you didn't trust my parenting abilities."

"Jen! That's not what this was about!"

JJ lifts her hands to stop Emily's rant. "I know. I swear, I know that now. I've talked to Hotch and I will assist from here. He's kicking himself for not thinking about what you did." She takes a deep breath and walks up to take Emily's hand. "I cannot apologize enough for my attitude. You were right, I was wrong and my attitude was not good for the babies. I'm sorry for that, too."

Emily pulls her into a hug. "Apology accepted. Thank you for staying behind for the babies."

"You're welcome." She thinks a moment. "Did you…were you…in Denver did you regret…fuck, I don't know what to ask."

Emily leans back and looks into JJ's eyes. "All I could think was how much I had let you down by not staying here. I wasn't sure you'd ever find my body and I wasn't sure you'd ever know Rocky. I had let you down and there was absolutely nothing I could do to right that wrong." She brushes a hand over JJ's hair. "I never want you to feel that…that…God, I don't even know what the word is to describe how I felt. I just don't want you to ever feel it."

JJ leans forward and gives Emily a quick kiss. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too. Thank you for staying behind, Jennifer. It will be lonely in that hotel bed but I think I will sleep okay knowing you are safe."

"Me, too." She rubs her stomach. "Of course, I won't be alone."

Emily smiles, her hand joining her wife's. "True. Now you two let Mommy get a little sleep, okay?" She looks up at JJ and they respond together.

"They say okay."

The two laugh and share another hug. Finally they step away from each other.

"Come on. Let's get back to work. I have a few more things to clear up before hitting the road," Emily says.

JJ nods and they walk out of the conference room. They see Reid and Hotch watching them. JJ just nods, smiling. Both men look relieved that all is okay.


	2. Chapter 2

When Hotch gets the okay the plane can take off, he grabs his briefcase and go bag. He walks into the bullpen. "Wheels up in 10," he reminds everyone as he heads out.

Emily slides the file she is working on in her briefcase and disconnects her laptop from its docking station. She stands to get it put away.

"Reid, can I hitch a ride to the airstrip?"

He nods. "Works for me."

"Great. Meet you in the lobby. Jen is down with Garcia looking over preliminary info for us."

Reid nods as Emily grabs her bags and goes out the bullpen door. She walks up to the analyst's office and hears giggling, followed by Garcia's astounded voice.

"It's like a frackin' aerobics class in there, Jayje! How fucking weird is that?"

JJ laughs. "Very. I mean, it was strange with Henry but with two it's even crazier. I hope they are just jockeying for position and not fighting."

Emily watches from the door as the two blondes watch the strange undulations of JJ's stomach as the twins are having a rather active moment. Garcia shakes her head in awe.

"That is so amazing, Jayje. I can't wait to have babies."

JJ smiles, rubbing her stomach as the twins calm down. "There really is nothing else like it, Pen. God, I'm so…so…"

"Beautiful," Emily supplies from the doorway.

JJ turns to her, beaming. "Charmer."

Emily shrugs happily. "Honest."

"She's right, Jayje. You're so glowy and preggy and pretty," Garcia agrees.

"Thanks, guys, you know how to make a bloated woman feel better." She studies her wife. "So, looks like you're ready to go?"

"Yep. Less than 10 minutes. Reid's giving me a ride over but I wanted to say a proper goodbye to you."

JJ stands. "Brilliant idea, Agent Prentiss."

Emily pulls her close. "Thank you again for staying behind."

"No thanks needed. Thank _you_ for forgiving my outburst. I love you, Em." She pats her stomach. "And these two love their Mama."

Emily rubs JJ's tummy. "I love all three of you so much. Give Rocky and Henry hugs for me."

"You know I will. Be safe."

"Always."

"Riiiight. Oh, and try not to get arrested this trip?"

Emily pretends to sulk. "Geez, Jen, you steal all my fun."

JJ just rolls her eyes and pulls Emily into a deep kiss. When it ends, JJ strokes a hand down her wife's cheek.

"I love you, Em."

"Love you, too. Talk to you later."

"I look forward to it."

Emily gives Garcia a wave and goes out to meet Reid in the lobby. JJ drops back down into her chair with a forlorn sigh.

"Awww…you miss her already, don't you?"

JJ nods. "Yep. Pathetic, right?"

"Nope. Absotively awesome. So, help me with these searches and let's get our family back here quickly."

JJ nods and turns her attention to the computer she had been using before the twins got active. "Right. Let's see what we can find in the backgrounds of the victims."

* * *

Once the team is in the air, Hotch moves to the center to address everyone.

"It's a relatively quick flight. Let's hit the ground running. Morgan, the head of the bomb squad will meet you at the airstrip and take you where he has the bomb parts. Go over them looking for anything that can help us figure out the profile of this guy." Morgan nods. "Reid, coordinate with JJ. She's weeding through victimology to eliminate anything that isn't pertinent and trying to find what connects them. Work up a geoprofile with her so we can see if there is a way to get ahead of this guy. Prentiss, Rossi, talk to family members and start on people they work with. I'll be going to the police station to get with the spokeswoman. As you can imagine, she says she is in over her head with this case as she's never seen anything like it before. The media is using her inexperience to paint the police as incompetent. Tread lightly if you run into a reporter. Don't let them put doubt in the public's mind about the public safety." The agents all nods. "Any questions?"

"Is there still no contact between the bomber and media?" Reid asks.

"I talked to the chief to let him know we were in the air. So far nothing that he knows of. As I get to know some of the media contacts I'll press them about letting us know if they receive something and try to convince them not to just run with it to sell ads," Hotch replies.

Emily is studying the pictures of the bomb sites. "Can I just throw something out there for the masses to consider?" The others nod. "These explosions were pretty big if we're going with the theory the bomber is after specific people. A smaller charge would get the job done. But he or she is decimating not only the victim but everything around them." She looks up. "Are we sure the targets aren't the businesses versus the person on the package?"

"Then why address it to anyone in particular?" Rossi points out.

"Most of those offices would be towards the back or center of the businesses," Morgan notes. "Prentiss could be on to something. A package sitting up front wouldn't be as devastating as one placed towards the back of the business."

The profilers fall silent, all considering that angle. Hotch pulls out his phone. "Garcia, pull anything and everything you can find on the businesses themselves. Lawsuits, mergers, anything that would have made widespread news or just the business journals."

"Wow. That will be a lot. And who will be the lucky agent that receives this largess of information?" Garcia asks as she gets the search started.

"Send it to Prentiss. She loves looking through business news," he answers with a grin as she groans and glares at him.

"Tell Princess to get her cute little reading glasses cleaned and ready as the numbers of hits is already skyrocketing."

"She'll be thrilled," Hotch tells her with a smile. He pockets his phone.

"You know, I saved your ass by dealing with the wrath of JJ. This is cruel repayment, Bossman," Emily tells him.

Rossi just pats Emily's leg as the team falls silent to study more of the crime scene photos and determine what questions they need to ask once they hit the ground.

* * *

Morgan offers his hand to the man waiting by a police cruiser. "Derek Morgan."

"Before I shake that I want to know is your knowledge of bombs what you can read in books or do you really know what you're looking at?" the man demands to know.

Morgan gives the man a smile. "I was a Chicago cop before I went to the FBI Academy. I spent 2 years on the bomb squad. Trust me when I say I have a very personal knowledge of bombs and their makers."

"I see." The man studies him a second. He finally smiles and extends his hand. "Seth Lindall."

Morgan shakes his hand. "Good to meet you. Can I ask are you going to be this 'friendly' during the entire investigation?"

Seth chuckles. "Naw, I'll be friendlier. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you were doing from a practical standpoint and not a classroom standpoint. Did 4 years bomb removal in the Army and got sick of lieutenants fresh out of the Point coming in like they knew what they were doing because they read a book."

Morgan starts to chuckle. "I get that. I promise, I've seen bombs before and know what to look for to give us this guy's signature and how to use that to solidify our profile of him."

"Good. Then hop in and I'll take you down to our lab. Got all the bombs spread out and I've noticed something in all of them." He grins and stops Morgan's next statement. "But I know you want to see them yourself and see if you spot what I did. Will prove to me you know what you're doing."

Morgan chuckles and nods. "Sounds good. But when I prove I do, you owe me a coffee."

Seth nods. "Done."

The two get in the car and start for the lab. They haven't gone far when Seth gets a call.

"Sgt. Lindall," he answers. He groans. "Son of a fucking bitch. On our way." He hangs up and looks at Morgan. "Bomber struck again. Clothing store at a strip mall near the high school."

Morgan moans. He pulls out his phone and calls his boss. "Hotch? Change of plans. Bastard struck again."

* * *

JJ stares at the phone as if it will change what Emily has just told her. "Again? Already? Shit, that means he has a target list and the bombs ready to go. He's not going to be knocked off his schedule."

"Well deduced, Profiler Jareau. Hotch and Reid are on their way to the scene to confirm it's our guy. Let's face it, it's him," Emily says as she pinches the bridge of her nose. "Tell Garcia to add the store, its employees and their families to her searches. This guy is on a mission and we need to get a damn good idea of who is next on his hit list."

"Will do." JJ looks at the map she has up on a whiteboard. "I will say I don't see anything in the location of the strikes that speaks to a pattern or a comfort zone. Maybe Reid will but for me it looks so damn random it has to be about people, not locations."

"Good to know. We'll be in touch. Love you."

"Love you, too, Em."

JJ hangs up and stares at the map. In her mind she draws lines between the businesses and even between the homes of the victims and the businesses but sees no discernable pattern like they had in Seattle with the Santa killers.

"Nope. Nothing. At least not to a non-homicidal mind on a mission," she notes and grabs the next stack of papers so she can plot some other points of interest on the map.

* * *

Hotch and Reid stand beside the fire marshal. The man shakes his head.

"Been at this job 20 years. Only explosions I ever dealt with were kids with cherry bombs or idiots who set their gas can on fire somehow. Now suddenly four bombs in less than 2 weeks."

"Anything our labs can do to help you with processing the scene I can get you," Hotch offers.

The man shrugs. "Don't need help with the scene. Just damn tired of pulling the bodies out after the fact."

"Understandable. Any idea how many?"

"Not yet. Couple guys have reported in so I know at least 2. Hell, until the flames are extinguished and the bomb squad clears the scene we won't know for sure."

Reid frowns. "Is there any chance we can be there when you are allowed in the first time? It will help us see the dispersal pattern of the bomb and the damage it did, not to mention who was in its direct path."

Marshal shrugs. "Fine by me. I want this bastard found and found soon. Whatever we can do to help reach that end you have."

Hotch offers the man his hand. "Thank you."

He and Reid step away to survey the scene.

"Any feeling he's watching?" Hotch whispers.

Reid shakes his head. "I've been glancing around. If he's here he's where he can't be seen. No one is paying undue attention to the building or the first responders. Most people just seem shocked and a little excited."

Hotch sighs. "Kinda what I thought, too." He turns back to the business. "This makes no sense to me. A clothing store? It just doesn't seem…I don't know, as cutthroat as the others. A realtor, a tax firm, an office supply company…the heads of those businesses fight to get business and work their asses off to keep it. A clothing store relies on others, the whim of the fashion industry if you will, to determine their success."

"But it's a small boutique. If they did a lot of custom orders that could mean…" Reid trails off. "You're right. I can't see another boutique owner setting off a bomb just to get rid of competition."

"There has to be something in their backgrounds. Some connect." He pulls out his phone. "Garcia, how close are you to finishing the backgrounds on the boutique employees and owner?" He listens a second. "You have an hour. He's broken pattern by bombing early. The next bomb could come any minute. Finish it, get it to JJ and tell her to find the connection to the other three bombs sooner rather than later."

He hangs up and drops the phone in his pocket. He turns back to the smoking remains of the building.

"Why the acceleration?" Reid ponders.

"I have no fucking clue," Hotch admits with frustration.


	3. Chapter 3

Emily and Rossi sit down across from the husband of realtor Brenda Painter. He wrings his hands.

"She pretty much just ran the business and let the other realtors make the sales. She was winding down her career and had even been talking about selling out to the others and just remaining on the books to be a glorified office manager."

"Did anyone know about that?" Rossi asks.

Mr. Painter shakes his head. "No…no Brenda and I were just talking about it among ourselves. I don't retire for another 2 years so we had time. She was just starting to pay attention to who would be a good business owner and who…who might even want to own the business."

Emily nods. "Smart to plan ahead. Was your wife a long term planner?"

He manages a sad smile. "Let's put it this way: she knew where my retirement party is going to be held."

Emily smiles. "A planner for sure. Do you know if anyone had been giving her any trouble lately over land or a building or anything she or another realtor in the office might have sold? Or even one where the sale fell through?"

He thinks a moment but shakes his head. "No, not that she mentioned to me. Her admin Marvin might have known but…but he…" his voice breaks off.

Emily nods. "I understand."

Marvin had been killed in the blast, too. It was believed he was with her in the office looking at the toy when it blew. Even if he had been at his desk he'd have been killed as his work area had been destroyed by the blast.

Rossi and Emily exchange a look. The man is shaking and they can tell he is fighting not to lose it in front of them. Rossi hands the man his card.

"If you think of anything that you want us to know, something Brenda may have said in passing or just anything at all, please give me a call."

The man takes the card and just nods. The agents see themselves out. Before the door closes behind them they hear a loud sob from the living room as Painter breaks down completely.

"That royally sucked," Emily mutters.

"Yep," Rossi agrees. Once they are in the SUV, he looks at her. "You know, her office is on the way to the next victim's house. Want to swing by?"

Emily shrugs. "Not sure how much good it will do since police and fire haven't released it yet."

"Maybe we can just get a look at the businesses around it to see if they give us any sort of clue."

Emily grins. "And if we just happen to stumble into the office…"

"Well if we accidentally stumble in…" he agrees with a grin.

The two agents chuckle and Rossi points their SUV in the direction of Painter Realty.

* * *

Morgan stares at the parts of three bombs spread out over three tables. He slowly walks around each table, picturing what they would have looked like as just the bomb, then the bomb in the toy, and finally as the victim would have seen it in the delivery box.

"Small but complex. Crude though. He is no bomb expert but these are not his first bombs," he mutters to himself.

Lindall stands nearby, impressed by the observations. So far the FBI Agent had lived up to his word and wasn't some bookworm pretending to know the ins and outs of bombs.

"Toys…why toys…because he knows most adults will still get a bit of thrill with a new toy. So hide your bomb in a toy and be guaranteed natural curiosity will get your recipient to set it off." Morgan lifts up the charred remnants of the teddy bear and looks at Lindall. "Were you able to identify the exact bear this was?"

Lindall shakes his head. "Nope. Tag was too charred for our lab to get anything off of it."

Morgan lifts an eyebrow. "Mind if we send it to the FBI labs?"

Lindall chuckles. "I'll sign it over happily if you think they can find something more."

Morgan nods and slides the scraps back into the evidence bag and notes the time and date it was turned over to the FBI. He sets it back on the table to be sent by courier to the closest lab with anything else they decide to test. He moves to the drum.

"So, why a drum? Could be set off almost by accident. Some of these toys will vibrate if dropped. How did you make sure it only went off when struck?"

He lifts up what's left of one drumstick. Only 6" long originally this one is now barely over 2. He studies the shatter pattern

"Used this to strike the drum and boom," he mutters as he tries to picture the scene in his head. "Guy is chuckling; maybe trying to figure out who would send him a toy drum and why…lifts the stick and taps it. Not hard." Morgan shakes his head. "Again he had to have it set for a light hit yet not light enough to get set off by accident." Morgan looks at Lindall. "This guy is freaky good for an amateur."

Lindall nods. "You can say that again."

Morgan sets the decimated drumstick down and moves to the third table. "Teddy bear, drum, truck. Interesting. These are all what you would consider 'boy' toys."

"Hadn't thought of that," Lindall replies.

Morgan smiles. "Because I'm trained to be the bad guy, not the good guy."

Lindall chuckles. "Good point. Uh, I think."

Morgan looks back at the table. He picks up a couple pieces of the toy truck and starts to examine them. At one time you could press buttons to see lights and hear sirens. Now the entire push button assembly is destroyed so no clues await there. But the bottom of the truck is mostly intact.

"He shielded the bottom of the truck; made sure the blast blew up and out for maximum impact."

"I'm impressed, Morgan. Most people would have missed that."

"But why the truck? He didn't make sure to do that to the drum. The bear, well, no chance to do that." Morgan taps the table. "He needed this bomb to kill someone. This is who we need to concentrate on." He pulls out his phone. "JJ, pay special attention to the tax office. Bomb was made to make sure of a kill."

He hangs up and now moves to the pieces of the bombs themselves. He spends an hour carefully looking over every piece of metal he can, remembering a time a bomber had carved a crude robot onto his masterpieces. But this unsub has done no such thing. Morgan finally steps away from the table and pulls off his gloves. He stares at the table a few minutes, just collecting his thoughts.

"Anyone could make a bomb like this with plans off the internet. The place that shows he's more sophisticated than a kitchen anarchist is the delivery method. The bombs go off when he wants, where he wants." Morgan looks up at Lindall. "He's experienced with bombs, he's patient, he's driven. This guy is probably late 20's, early 30's. And he is mad as hell at something."

Lindall shrugs. "Psychology part is all you. But your assessment of the devices and the bomber's experience is right on with mine. What will get him to end this shit?"

"Only 2 things: 1) he finishes his mission. Or 2) we get lucky as hell and stop his ass."

"He the type to go down firing?"

Morgan shrugs. "Don't know enough to say for sure but my bet is yes. When we close in we need to be ready for his place to be wired to blow. Better safe than sorry."

Lindall nods. "I agree." He glances at his watch. "About time for me to head to the latest scene. Want to tag along?"

Morgan nods. "Definitely."

The two men secure the room and head out for the boutique in hopes the fires are out enough they can start to gather whatever evidence is left.

* * *

Emily shakes her head. "No way to peak in."

"Nope," Rossi agrees.

Both plate glass windows had been blown out by the blast and the holes are now covered with plywood. The double doors had either been destroyed by the blast or by the firemen working to extinguish the flames and save survivors.

"That's a hell of a lot of explosive power in a relatively small package," Emily notes.

Rossi nods. "I was thinking the same thing. Ammonium nitrate bombs are powerful but not like this.".

"Do we know if there was a natural gas line that was ignited?" Emily asks.

"Not that I remember seeing. Plus it would have completely decimated this building and any other along the line, too."

Emily nods. "True. But I'm still not liking the amount of damage I see here considering the delivery method. There had to be a secondary explosion."

"Well, the fire marshal and other officials are still in the preliminary stages of their investigation. What are you thinking?"

"A second package. One delivered earlier or even at the same time. First one goes and triggers the second."

Rossi thinks about that a second. "But more bomb fragments would have been found."

Emily frowns. "Right. Hadn't thought of that." She points at the building. "But what I'm seeing from the outside and based on photos just isn't screaming 'Teddy Bear Bomb' to me. Not unless it's one of those huge ones you win at fairs."

Rossi swirls his FBI ring around his finger as he considers this. "Sometimes bombers are first responders…"

"Who could hide extra fragments…" Emily continues.

"Or even bring an additional package and plant it after the first is burning. We need to find out if there were ever secondary explosions after the arrival of firefighters or police."

"I think we better let a certain hacker dig into the full files rather than ask for that ourselves," Emily suggests as she pulls out her phone.

Rossi nods and starts the car to drive to see the widow of the man who had received a toy drum in the mail.

* * *

Needing to get out of her office for a little while, Garcia sets Emily's new search on it's way through cyberspace and goes down to the conference room. JJ was using it to spread out financials and other information she was weeding through in hopes of saving time for the rest of the team. Garcia opens the door, hoping to convince JJ to take a bit of a break with her.

"Hey, Jayje, I was wondering if you…uh, Jayje?" Garcia stops, not seeing the profiler.

"Down here," JJ calls out.

Garcia, confused, walks around the table and sees JJ on the floor. The tech goes into panic mode. "JAYJE! OH MY GOD YOU FELL! HANG ON!" She runs to the door. "HELP! HELP!"

"GARCIA! STOP! NO!" JJ yells, trying to stop the analyst.

Too late.

Three agents race towards the room. Garcia points. "SHE FELL! AND SHE'S HURT AND SHE'S STUCK!"

"PENELOPE!" JJ screams, the blushes as Anderson and two other men race in. She holds up her hands. "I'm FINE! I swear!"

"You are?" Anderson asks in confusion.

JJ nods. "I am." She pulls her feet off the seat they are propped upon, rolls to her side, then slowly stands up. "But my ankles were nearly the size of my thighs," she glares at Garcia, "so while I was looking over financials I lay down and put them up to ease the pain a little. If Garcia had given me a chance to explain before panicking she'd have known that. Sorry guys."

Anderson smiles. "No problem."

The agents all turn to a blushing Garcia. She manages a smile. "Uh, well, just consider this a response time drill in case JJ goes into labor at work again. You all passed swimmingly." The three responding agents chuckle and leave to get back to work. Garcia turns to look at her best friend, who is still glaring at her. Garcia shrugs. "How was I to know?"

"You could have asked. Or you could have given me a chance to explain before going into red alert mode. Or you could have taken a second to look at how I was laying on the ground. Should I go on?"

Garcia gives an embarrassed shrug. "Um, I guess not. I really am sorry, Jayje. I just…you know, Emily isn't here and I know that means if something happens to you here at the office I'm the one who will at best be in traction for a year. At worst I'll be pushing up daisies."

JJ finally smiles. "Well, both those outcomes _are_ a possibility. So let me say thank you for your concern but please, please, ask me next time before going into panic mode, okay?"

Garcia grins and nods. "Deal, bestie. So you ready to take a break?"

JJ nods. "I am, actually. Financials are bad enough when we're just looking at individuals. But having to delve into the histories of companies, too, is headache inducing. I could use a cup of coffee."

Garcia smiles and hooks her arm through JJ's. "And I need to get away from my computers for a few minutes. Let's go down to the cafeteria and get a Monster for me and a big cup of decaf for you."

JJ nods. "Sounds like a…" her phone starts to ring. "Hold that thought." She grabs her cell. "Hey, Hotch." She listens a second. "Damn. Yeah, Garcia had already started pulling info in case this was ours. I'll start to weed through it all. Any idea why he broke pattern?" She listens and shakes her head. "Right. Okay, as soon as we know something I'll get back to you. Honestly, we're heading down the cafeteria for a drink. We both have to clear our heads a bit." She listens and grins. "Decaf. Promise." She listens and chuckles. "I know. Trust me when I say it isn't easy some days. We'll talk to you later." She hangs up and looks at Garcia. "It's our bomber."

Garcia nods, wincing. "I know. Reid called me. Planned to tell you after our break. Didn't want you to be worrying about his acceleration since they are all down there and you are here."

JJ smiles. "You mean you didn't want me worried about Emily more than I already am."

"That, too," Garcia admits.

"Thanks, Pen. Come on. My treat," JJ offers.

The two blondes head out to grab a drink to help fortify them before they get back to work trying to help their team find this bomber.

* * *

Reid stares at the preliminary information on the boutique workers and the owner. He shakes his head.

"Why you? Which of you was the equal in the unsubs mind with the heads of the other companies?" He studies the crime boards a moment. "Okay, woman opens boutique and makes it a success. Woman starts a realty office and makes it a success. Successful, financially independent women. Intriguing." He moves to the two men. "A CPA and the head of an office supply company. Neither were the owners but they were in charge. Absolutely no connect between all 4 companies. They are even on different postal routes. Why did the unsub go after the 4 of you? And how do I predict who you go after next?"

"They answering you yet?"

Reid jumps as Emily speaks to him from behind. He turns. "Not yet. I didn't even hear you two come in."

Rossi tosses his briefcase on the table. "Probably because we both have a lot of nothing to try to turn into something." He gestures to the photos of all those who had been killed. "Nothing but praise for any of them. Good people, good neighbors, great sports, funny, name the positive thing that could be said and we heard them. None seem to have had an enemy in the world."

Reid shakes his head. "Not possible. They were all business leaders. At some point they pissed someone off. No one gets to where they are without a few bitter clients, angry competitors, something."

Emily perks up. "Competitors…shit!" She looks at Rossi. "Tomorrow we talk to their top competitors. They may not be behind the killings but they'll know the dirt people aren't willing to give us."

Rossi grins and nods. "Good idea. At least it should be more entertaining than the praise fests we sat through today."

"Ain't that the truth," Emily agrees.

Morgan walks in and drops down into a chair. "We're in trouble."

Emily looks at him. "Let me guess: what you saw in bomb fragments doesn't account for all the damage we're seeing."

He nods. "Right. And Lindall should have known that." He leans onto the table. "He kept testing me, goading me, trying to see what I knew about bombs. But I can't get a read to figure out if he was holding back information on purpose because he doesn't quite trust us or if it's because he knows more about the bombings than he is letting on."

"If he is the bomber, or knows the bomber, we need to rely on what we can find and see for ourselves not what he tells us," Hotch points out. "Morgan, Prentiss, tomorrow you two visit all the bomb sites. I'll clear it with the fire marshal that you should have full access to the sites. If Lindall questions it we'll tell him it's our way of seeing the scenes without bias."

Morgan and Emily nod. Emily smiles at Rossi. "Guess you'll have to take Reid with you to get the skinny from the business rivals."

Rossi grins. "Gee…lucky me."

Reid just frowns at the older agent. "Thanks for the enthusiasm."

Hotch just grins. "Let's call it a night. Garcia is still weeding through the various companies that distribute ammonium nitrate to see if someone got an unusually large shipment or if one was sent somewhere odd."

"There's one thing I think we need to consider before we stop for the night," Emily says.

"What's that, Prentiss?" Hotch replies.

"He has yet to send a manifesto or leave any sort of message on the bomb or at the scene. Until we know what he's pissed about we can't possibly warn the public. I don't know about anyone else but I'm not quite ready to call it a night until I feel like I've looked at everything that could help prevent more deaths."

Hotch looks around the table and sees the others share Emily's dedication to public safety. He grins. "I'll order in pizzas."

Rossi stands up and moves to the white board. "Here's something I noted earlier today. The men are simply the heads of businesses. The two women who appear to be the targets are the actual business owners. Might mean something, might not but it's something."

Emily nods. "Hadn't noticed that. Good call, Rossi."

"But what does it get us?" Rossi asks.

The agents consider that a moment but if it does mean something that meaning eludes them at the moment. Hotch glances at a couple sheets of paper.

"The realtor and the CPA got their degrees at state colleges while the other two went to private colleges."

"Maybe just the fact that they earned degrees at all is an affront to the unsub," Rossi notes and writes "college degrees" under each name. For an hour they pull out the similarities between the four business leaders. Not surprisingly all were involved with community service and the local Chamber of Commerce. Emily taps a finger on the table.

"The Chamber…we need to see if they kicked anyone out lately or if a business went under and may hold a grudge against others who have kept their companies afloat during a recession."

Hotch nods. "I'll talk to the Chamber tomorrow. That's a good thought."

"You know there is something else to consider here and you all may hate me for pointing it out," Reid starts. The others look at him. "Each company's head died and so did their assistant. We need to profile the assistants, too, in case they were the targets."

Morgan tosses his pen on the table. "You're right. I hate you."

Reid gives him a half grin. Hotch walks over to a second white board.

"Alright, what do we know about the assistants."

Two hours later the team has 8 distinct victimologies written up on their white boards. And they still have no idea what to do with the information.

"Well, that was productive," Rossi mutters. "Lots of nothing on the case but a nasty case of heartburn for myself. Good times."

Emily pats him on the shoulder. "I think what the grumpy old man is saying is now we need to step away for the night."

Hotch chuckles as Rossi glares at Emily. "I agree. Let's hit the ground running tomorrow and aim to be back here by 4 to hammer out a new profile. I'll meet with the press at 5 to update them and, hopefully, give them information to help protect the public."

The team gathers their things and starts out of the room. Emily stops for a second and glances back at the boards.

"Problem, Prentiss?"

"No kids."

"Come again?" Hotch presses.

She walks back to the boards. "Was thinking about Jen and the twins and it hit me that none of the heads of the businesses have had children with their spouses. One or two might not have kids but all 4? That's strange to me."

Reid studies the information. "Two have stepchildren. Maybe they didn't feel the need to have biological children, too."

"But for none of them to have biological children? Just a strange coincidence to me," Emily insists.

Hotch nods. "I see what you mean. I'll send an email to Garcia to get her looking into their medical histories to see what she can find regarding these victims maybe losing a child or being unable to conceive."

With yet another tenuous string to tug at, the team locks the conference room and calls it a night.

* * *

Across town Darryl Holmgren carefully closes the Nerf gun. He slides a dart into the barrel but doesn't lock it back. The recipient will do that and when they fire…

"Boom," Darryl says with a smile.

He carefully packs the toy up and affixes the address label showing it came from a company in California that specializes in unique thank you gifts.

"You all are so full of yourselves you just expect adulation and free gifts. Hope you enjoy your free ride to hell," he mumbles as he leaves to put the gift in the overnight delivery box of a company that specializes in the installation of security systems.

He had already placed two other bombs in the store while in there shopping that day. The second and third explosions will guarantee maximum death and destruction.

And that thought thrills him as much now as it had the first time.


	4. Chapter 4

Jen walks in just after 8 and hears Henry crying. She sighs, having wanted to just put her feet up and relax with some mindless TV for a few minutes. She hangs her coat on the rack and climbs the stairs. Setting her briefcase on the floor outside his bedroom she walks in to find Francesca rocking him and singing softly to him.

"What's wrong, Little Man?"

He leaps out of his nanny's arms and races to his Mommy. JJ lifts him up and he clings to her neck, still crying. JJ glances at Francesca, worried about the way he is shaking in fear.

"Nightmare," Francesca explains.

JJ nods. "Ah." She kisses Henry's cheek. "What was it, Henry?"

"You and Mama didn't come home. Never."

Francesca vacates the rocking chair so JJ can sit down with her son. The nanny kisses Henry's head and steps out of the room. JJ hugs him as tightly as she can.

"Well, Mama did have to go on a case with the team but she will be home in a few days. And I am here now so everything is okay."

"But what if she don't come home?"

JJ knows their job has no guarantees. Her stomach trips as she flashes back to a month of waiting for Emily to come out of a coma or…or die. She thinks about being dosed with drugs. A heavier dose could have killed her.

But she's a mother and comforting her son means more than the realities of the job. She hedges her statement to keep from promising him the impossible while trying to give him the reassurance he needs.

"We will always, always fight to come home to you, Henry. I promise," she vows.

"But what if the bad man comes and takes you like in my dream?"

What if indeed JJ wonders. "No bad man will take us from you, Henry. I promise," she vows again, this time completely ignoring the hazards of the job and just being a mommy. She pulls out her phone. "How about we call Mama and she can tell you she's okay. Would that help you get back to sleep?" Henry nods. "Good."

JJ kisses his head and punches the preset for Emily. It rings once.

"Hey, baby. Just getting back to the hotel."

"Good then you have plenty of time to talk to Henry."

"Henry? What's he still doing up?"

"Bad dream."

"Ah, okay. Put him on."

JJ hands Henry the phone. He takes it and turns so he can cuddle against JJ as he talks to Emily.

"Mama? Bad man gots you?"

Emily smiles, hoping he can hear it in her voice. "No, Champ, no bad man has me. In fact I'm here with Uncle Dave. If a bad man comes I'll just throw Uncle Dave in front of me for protection."

Rossi chuckles and rolls his eyes as he pulls into a parking space at the hotel.

"Promise, Mama?"

"I promise, Champ. Since I'm not there to kiss away the bad dream I left the special power with Mommy so she could do it for me."

Henry looks at JJ, who had heard and nods. "Mommy say she can, Mama."

"Good. So get snuggled down in bed with Bear-Bear, Tiger and Ska. Then Mommy will kiss away the bad dream."

There is a pause. "I think it will work more better in Mommy's bed."

Emily chuckles, picturing the look on JJ's face. "I bet you're right, Champ. I love you, Henry."

"I love you, too, Mama. Night, Mama!"

"Good night, Champ."

JJ takes the phone back. "Thanks for the assist, Em. I'll call you back in a little while."

"Okay. Love you, Jen."

"Love you, too." She hangs up and looks at Henry. "Grab Bear-Bear and Tiger and let's head to my bedroom."

Henry kisses her cheek, having no idea how much that little show of affection touches his mother's heart. He gets his teddy bear and stuffed tiger then looks at his dog.

"Come on, Ska. We get Mama's side."

The two run down the hall. JJ follows, taking time to stick her briefcase into the private office and lock the door. She tucks Henry in and kisses his forehead.

"Try to get to sleep. I'm going to go check on Rocky, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy. Love you!"

"I love you, too." She ruffles Ska's fur. "Take care of my boy, Ska."

The dog seemingly smiles his agreement. JJ walks down to Rocky's room. She chuckles as she sees her daughter is splayed out across the bed, her bedcovers off onto the floor, one arm hanging off the side. JJ runs a hand down her back and the little girl just grunts. JJ chuckles and whispers to the sleeping brunette.

"Oh, Roxanne, you used to sleep so neatly and coo happily when we touched you. Now…now you're turning into me. Mom said there were nights I would completely turn around in bed and my covers would be across the room. And I was never, ever happy when I awoke." She leans down and kisses Rocky on the head. "I guess that's more Jareau coming out in you. Though…Mark is a morning person so maybe some things really are nurture versus nature since I'm still not much for waking up." She runs her hand over the little's curly locks. "I love you, Rocky."

She kisses Rocky once more and covers her as best she can, pats Sergio (who she'd uncovered when moving the blankets), and heads back to her bedroom. She sees Henry is still awake.

"Story, Mommy?"

JJ smiles. "Let me get ready for bed and I'll tell you a story."

Henry smiles happily and snuggles more into Emily's pillows.

* * *

JJ is stroking a hand over Henry's head when she feels her phone vibrate. She eases out of bed so as not to wake her son and moves to the recliner.

"Hi."

"It rang 4 times. I was beginning to think you were asleep."

JJ smiles. "Nope. Just didn't want to wake Henry so I moved to the recliner."

"Ah, okay. So how you doing working the case from Quantico?"

"I'm better. I really was a shit to you, Em. I am so sorry and I should have thought of staying back myself," JJ admits as she runs a hand over her stomach.

"The important thing is you did stay back. That's all that matters, Jen. Let's just…forget the spat about it."

JJ smiles. "Done. Thank you, Em. So, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Morgan and I are going to be getting an in-depth tour of the crime scenes. The investigator from the fire marshal's office will be taking us."

"Why not the bomb squad guy Morgan worked with today?"

"Too many things he did and didn't do made us suspicious."

"Oh, damn…he's not…an angel of mercy creating the bombings to save people, is he?"

"Nope. At least, he hasn't appeared to save anyone. He could be a firebug enjoying the flames and the panic he is creating. Or he could be just protecting what he knows because he doesn't want us to steal his case."

"I really hope it's the last option. Please be safe. I lied to Henry several times tonight promising him you'd come home."

Emily smiles. "Well, since you promised I'll make sure the guys know to protect me at all costs."

JJ chuckles. "Good girl."

"Speaking of good girls, how's Rocky?"

"Adorable as ever," JJ replies and tells her how she found their daughter.

Emily chuckles. "Yep, she's turning into you, Jen. Good thing Henry's a morning person like me or I would be lonely when I wake up."

"Hopefully the twins will each take after one of us so we can both have two little clones."

"That would be more than perfect," Emily agrees. "So, speaking of them, are they being good today? I know we got them a little riled up earlier."

JJ smiles. "They are fine. Not any more active than normal. But, well, I do have a very weird craving tonight."

"Oh, geez. Dare I ask?"

JJ winces. "Believe me when I say it hurts me to day this: chocolate covered peanut buttered pickles."

"Oh gross! Just when I thought that craving couldn't get worse!"

"My mouth is literally watering just thinking about it," JJ admits.

Emily laughs. "So are you going to satisfy their urges?"

JJ rubs her stomach. "Honestly? I think if I don't I'll never get to sleep."

Emily chuckles and shakes her head. "I love you so much. And I am so glad I am not there to see you eat that. It might turn me off pickles, peanut butter and chocolate in all forms forever."

"I think it already has for me," JJ replies with a grin.

The two talk about the kids and the twins for another 30 minutes. Finally JJ yawns.

"Well, Em, I really need to go get my snack before I go to sleep."

Emily grimaces at the thought. "Ugh. Right. Hope you and Henry both have nothing but good dreams tonight. If nightmares happen for either of you I am just a phone call away."

"I know. I love you, Em. Thanks for taking care of us even from afar."

"It's my job, Jen, and one I am trying very hard to do better than I have so far. I love you all so much."

"Sweet dreams, honey."

"You, too, baby. Talk to you tomorrow."

"I can't wait. Love you," JJ says again.

"Love you, too. Bye, baby."

"Bye, Em."

JJ hangs up and stares out at the backyard. She rubs her stomach. "Are you two really, _really_ sure you need a snack?" She gets two thumps in return. She sighs. "Fine. Let's go."

Five minutes later JJ moans happily. It really was as good as she expected…which she knows is absolutely twisted!


	5. Chapter 5

Morgan extends his hand to the man waiting outside the devastated realty office. "SSA Derek Morgan. This is SSA Emily Prentiss."

The man shakes both agents' hands. "Inspector Scott Bethune. Pleasure to meet you." He takes two hardhats out from under his left arm. "You'll need these for each building we go into. There are a lot of loose boards and other debris in the ceiling. This will cover you if anything gets dislodged."

Emily puts hers on. "Thanks. Kinda wondered about that."

"This building is the worst condition-wise but I suggest wearing the hats at each site."

Morgan nods. "I'll take that advice. So what can you tell us before we go in."

"Well, I've had a chance to make my initial survey of each site. In all I've found evidence that there were two other ignition areas."

Emily frowns. "What do you mean?"

"I mean there was the initial bomb. This gave us the first and most powerful explosion. Fire would spread and then there were two other explosions. Smaller but they helped increase the devastation. All of that was assisted by the fact that someone cut off the sprinkler system."

"I had wondered about that," Morgan says, nodding.

"Any idea how the other two bombs were concealed?" Emily asks.

Bethune nods. "I do. Come on inside and I'll show you to see if you agree."

The agents follow the man into the building. Emily shakes her head as she looks around. "Damn lucky anyone got out alive."

Bethune nods. "Those in this area and in two other offices had time to get out before the second two blasts decimated this area." He walks over to the corner of the lobby. "From what I found here there was a coat rack." He points to a very dark area on the wall. "This tells me there was a blast here that then spread up and down. I think a coat was filled with the explosive. It ignited and got the fire burning here on the front wall."

Morgan slowly nods. "Scarily I can see that. It's winter so no one would notice someone hanging up a coat."

"And if it is left behind they would assume the person would come back for it," Emily concludes. "We need to find out if anyone noticed the extra coat and when it was left."

Bethune nods. "I plan to speak with some of the survivors later today."

"Mind if we tag along?" Morgan asks.

"Not at all." He walks over to the remains of the receptionist's desk, which is midway back in the office. "The coat was explosion 3. The second was right here." He stoops and points to the dark mark on the floor. "You can see the ignition point and see where it actually blew out parts of the desk." He points to the splintering in the wood. "Had the receptionist not been dragged out by one of the other realtors she probably would have lost her legs. She had been stunned by the initial blast."

"So she was behind the desk…" Emily mutters.

Morgan looks at her. "What are you thinking?"

"Why didn't she notice whatever that was down there?"

"According to one eye-witness report they kept extra forms and such down there. If it was another cardboard box it wouldn't have caught anyone's eye," Bethune answers.

"Damn. So much for thinking she might have known something," Emily mutters.

"That would have been too easy," Morgan points out with a grin.

"I like easy," Emily admits with a smile.

Bethune chuckles and leads them back to the owner's office. "As you can guess, the bomb was on the desk. We have no idea who pressed the paw but both victims were killed instantly by the blast."

"Small mercies," Emily notes.

"Exactly. Papers on the desk ignited."

Morgan leans close to the remains of the desk. "Is that gasoline scorching?"

Behtune nods, impressed. "Good eye, Agent. My theory is the bomber used those packing air packs but filled them with not gasoline but with gel fuel. Most people don't pay attention to the packaging and anyone who saw it would just assume it was something new to help cushion the gift."

Emily nods. "I believe that. So the bomb coupled with the gel ensures the unsub gets not only an explosion but a devastating fire that will ignite the secondary bombs."

"Add in disabling the sprinklers and he has destroyed the business before fire responders ever make it to start fighting the fire," Morgan finishes. He looks at Emily. "But we still don't know why. Why is he targeting these people or places?"

Emily shrugs. "No fucking clue."

Satisfied they have seen enough here, they follow Bethune out of the building and wait while he secures it. Morgan looks at Emily.

"I'm going to ride with Bethune to ask him more about the bomb spread."

Emily nods. "Good idea. You definitely know bombs better than I do. I just sold the damn things," she jokes.

He grins. "Sick and twisted, Prentiss. Sick and twisted."

They split up to make their way to the next bomb site.

* * *

Rossi and Reid meet the owner of the pet supplies store. He was not at work the day the tax firm next door was blown up but he had been close to the man that had died. He shakes the hands of both agents and gestures for them to take a seat in his living room.

"Omar had done my taxes for, damn, 10 years maybe. Before he bought out the previous owner of the firm." Perry Wagon shakes his head. "Still can't believe he's gone."

"You seem to know him well," Rossi states. "Do you know if Mr. Simpson had any enemies?"

Wagon shrugs and shakes his head. "No. Not that I know of. I mean, he always had people that expected more back than they got but they were usually pissed at the IRS not at Omar. This just doesn't make sense." He looks into Rossi's eyes. "Did they target him maybe instead of the IRS?"

Rossi shrugs. "Doubtful since there were other bombings not tax related but we will look into that as one avenue of the investigation. Do you know if in the day or two before the explosion he had had anyone come in that didn't seem…normal? Or that gave him a moment of concern?"

Wagon shakes his head again. "Not that he told me. Tax season is just starting so most people going in were getting initial consults to see if it was worth paying his fees to get their taxes done. He was an honest man. If someone didn't need to spend the money on his services he'd tell them. Omar knew that honesty is something people would talk about and would help get him word-of-mouth advertising. He was a good, good man!" Wagon stresses.

Reid nods. "What about in his personal life? Any ex-girlfriends that were, well, maybe causing problems?"

Wagon nods. "No. He was devoted to his work but when he did date he was a gentleman. Usually his job cost him the relationship and he had no bitter feelings towards the lady and I don't know of any that gave him a hard time after the end. I am sure he'd have mentioned it to me."

"Do you happen to know the name of his most recent ex? Or maybe the last couple?"

"Only their first names. He broke up with Lindsay just before Christmas. Then, damn…maybe in October he broke up with Linda. Hope that helps."

Reid nods knowing Garcia can check Omar's phone records for Linda's and Lindsay's. The agents question the man a few more minutes but it is obvious he doesn't have any information that can help them further their investigation. Reid sends off a text to Garcia to check on the women though neither he nor Rossi feel a bitter ex is behind this attack. But maybe they know of someone that was giving Omar a hard time or just a bad feeling.

In the SUV, Rossi shakes his head. "None of this seems personal to me."

Reid nods. "I agree. There are no connects between these victims that could point towards a fuse all of them lit. We have to be missing something in their background. Something that links them."

Rossi shrugs. "I can't imagine what. Garcia is thorough."

Reid nods. "I know. But why these people if they don't have a link?"

Both agents contemplate that thought for a few minutes. Rossi finally shrugs.

"I have no idea unless the reason for the attacks only makes sense in the bomber's mind. And it is rare that a bomber would not have a specific reason to go after a series of targets. There is a reason these people are the targets we just haven't found it yet."

* * *

By the time Emily and Morgan get to the fourth bomb site they know they are dealing with a very meticulous mind. He had placed second and third explosive devices at each site and used the suspected gel-filled packing cushion in each gift that was sent. As Bethune leaves them, Emily and Morgan lean up against the SUV, staring at remains of the boutique. Emily rubs her head. Morgan lifts a brow.

"Headache?"

"Yeah." Emily glances at him. "From fumes, not from the coma. Promise. Haven't had one of those in a while."

Morgan smiles. "Good. So, what do we know after seeing these scenes?"

Emily stretches her neck. "That this is one scary motherfucker. And he is not going to be happy if we figure out a way to disrupt his plans."

"No shit," Morgan agrees. "Damn glad Jayje stayed at home. He may go after us or the cops and I couldn't handle it if…" his voice trails off as he realizes he has no need to voice that fear to his best friend.

Emily just nods. She takes a deep breath. "Henry had a nightmare last night. Dreamt a bad man took me and Jen and we never came home."

"Shit."

"Yeah. We both made him promises we shouldn't but…but we had to," Emily justifies.

Morgan glances at her again. "No need to explain that to me. I get it. He's your son, Emily. You will both say what you have to say to comfort him. And it's my job to make sure those words never become a lie."

Emily smiles and nudges his shoulder. "Thanks, Derek." She looks at her watch. "How about I treat you to lunch while we type up our impressions of the scenes?"

"I'd say that sounds good."

They are about to get into the SUV when a police cruiser pulls up beside them. Seth Lindall gets out, looking angry.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you wanted to tour the bomb sites? I could have brought you out here!"

Morgan remains calm. "We wanted to see it with the fire investigator to get his opinion on ignition points and possible accelerants used. From you we needed an idea of the bomb itself. Why would we call you for this tour?"

"I should have been with you at least!" Lindall insists.

"Why? So you can continue to withhold information? Or continue to lie to us about the power of the explosion?" Morgan counters.

Lindall colours and Emily wonders if she is going to have to step between the two men. Lindall gets into Morgan's face.

"I withheld info on orders from my captain. He doesn't like others jumping into the investigation with no clue how real police work goes. You all sit in judgment from Washington while we're out in the street making the world safer. Last thing Cap wants is a desk jockey fucking up our case."

"Then you have your captain come speak to us," Morgan tells him. "We can explain what we're doing and show that cooperating will end the deaths sooner than a pissing match. And you EVER get in my face again and accuse me of not knowing how to work a case you better be ready for a smack down!"

"MORGAN! Step off," Emily orders.

Lindall bows up, his fists clenching. "Go ahead, Desk Jockey, take a swing. I'll show you how real cops prepare for perps."

Emily inserts herself between the men by forcing Morgan back before he can respond verbally or physically. "Car, Morgan. Now!" she orders. "Lindall, you're way out of line. So far all you've done with your actions is put yourself at the top of our suspect list. So if you don't want to be arrested and held for 72 hours while we question you you'll step off. Get your captain and come see us but lose the fucking attitude before you do. We're not here to step on your toes or steal your case. We are here to stop a bomber and prevent more loss of life. That's all we are here for. To do that we'll talk to who we need to as we need to without asking your permission first. Got it?"

He stares into eyes of steel. "I dare you to arrest me."

Emily pulls out her cuffs. "I love dares. Now walk on before you find out just how much I love to win them."

He tries to stare her down…and loses. He turns and storms back to his vehicle, leaving skid marks as he tears out of the parking lot. Emily waits until he is gone and turns to Morgan, disappointment on her face.

"What the fuck, Morgan?"

Morgan shakes his head. "He's had me pissed since he started hiding information from me yesterday. His…his attitude just now just…just…"

"Turned you into a rookie idiot?"

Morgan manages a smile. "Yeah, I guess it did."

"You're better than your actions just now would state, Derek. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

He shrugs. "Maybe…maybe I need a vacation."

"I think that's more than a maybe, buddy." She takes a deep breath. "He'll tell his captain and make this out to be more than it was. You need to tell Hotch first so he's ready for it."

"I know. How about we get lunch to go so I can tell Dad I was an idiot?"

Emily nods. "Good idea."

Emily gets in and starts the blazer. Morgan looks at her.

"When did you turn into a peacemaker?"

Emily smiles. "Guess Jen is rubbing off on me."

Morgan chuckles. "Must be." He runs a hand over his head. "Hotch is going to be pissed."

"Yep. Lucky you."

"Right. Lucky me. Shit."

Emily just pats him on the leg, knowing he is kicking himself for letting his temper get the best of him. Hopefully it won't happen again this case.

* * *

Hotch runs a hand through his hair. "You did WHAT?"

Emily steps between her boss and her best friend. "Hotch, Lindall was out of line. Big time. Just adds to our suspicions of him. He either is really trying to guard his case or he knows more about the bomber than he is letting on. If he tells his captain about the confrontation he'll make it out that Morgan was in the wrong. I promise you, he wasn't."

Hotch shakes his head. "We don't need added frustrations. Get with Garcia and see if any of the businesses or the shopping center itself has cameras out where you all were standing."

Emily nods and steps away to call Garcia. Morgan stands there, waiting for Hotch's final say on the matter. The unit chief finally lets out a breath.

"Garcia sent us a list of people who bought an unusual amount of fertilizer. Start weeding through it to see if any have anything to do with our 4 bomb locations."

"Okay. And, uh, if Lindall and his captain show up?" Morgan asks.

"Don't say a damn word no matter what he claims, Morgan. Not a damn word," Hotch orders.

Morgan nods. "Yes, sir."

He goes to start going through the list of fertilizer purchasers. Most appear to be commercial farmers so he discounts those a possible unsubs. He uses a highlighter to note which ones deserve further scrutiny. He has just gotten to the last page when the conference room door is thrown open and Lindall storms in with another man. Hotch straightens up, Emily rolls her eyes, and Morgan drops his highlighter.

"What the hell is your problem, Fed?" The captain bellows. "Why the hell are your people screwing with the crime scenes instead of reading our reports?"

Hotch slowly stands and speaks calmly. "My name is SSA Aaron Hotchner. To answer your question, my agents were not 'screwing with' the crime scene. They were getting a tour of them from the fire marshal investigator. We use what they have seen first hand combined with his reports and your tech's reports to help us paint a true picture of the unsub. It's called profiling. We need as much info as we can to find this man and stop him. If you don't want to stop him say the word and we'll leave after putting out a press release that you and your officer would rather have more bodies on your hands than accept help from those of us who specialize in this sort of psychopathy. It's up to you, Captain."

The two men lock eyes. Finally the captain turns and looks at Lindall.

"Lindall?"

Lindall has the grace to look embarrassed. "I, uh, just…thought…they were questioning our ability to get the job done."

"The only thing we've questioned is why you aren't being as forthcoming with information as you could be," Hotch states bluntly.

Lindall looks like he wishes the floor would open up and swallow him. His captain looks enraged.

"I told you COMPLETE cooperation, Lindall. If you are holding anything back cough it up. Now! I know you are desperate for a career making bust. This could be the one if you work with these men and women. Get your head out of your ass and do the fucking job or plan on looking for a new job." He turns back to Hotch. "You have anymore issues with Lindall call me. I want this bastard found and I know how you work. You may know my cousin Malcolm Sooner."

The surprise on Hotch's face is obvious. "I know him well. He's a good agent."

"Thanks, Hotchner. Lindall and I are going to head back to our offices so he can get whatever he hasn't passed onto you yet. We'll have everything to you by 3."

"Thank you," Hotch says sincerely. After the two cops leave, Hotch looks at Morgan and Emily. "Well…didn't expect that."

Morgan leans forward onto the table. "Hotch, I think I am more worried now than I was before. Lindall intimated that his boss wasn't happy about us being here."

Hotch lifts a brow. "Really?" Morgan nods. "Go over everything with a fine toothed comb. If anything seems off or seems to be missing, let me know and I will handle it."

Morgan nods. "Will do."

Emily and Hotch exchange a look. Both know if Lindall tries to screw them over again Morgan will probably lose his temper again. Emily gives Hotch a nod, wordlessly promising to keep an eye on him the way he kept on eye on her when she needed a break. It is obvious to both of them Morgan needs a vacation. Soon.

* * *

Garcia sits up as a hunch she had seems to be panning out better than the requested searches. She saves the latest info to the share drive and hurries to the conference room. She once again finds JJ lying on the floor with her feet up.

"Panic needed?" Garcia asks.

"Nope. Just need to watch my salt intake a bit better. Not easy when the nesters want pickles," JJ explains. "What do you need?"

"I sent the search showing large amounts of fertilizer purchases to Morgan but nothing jumped out at me as odd. A lot of commercial use or people with a lot of land that might use it for personal use, you know?" JJ nods. "So I redid the search showing amounts that were higher than a city yard but not enough to throw up a red flag for BATFE. I then narrowed the search down to people that had never made that sort of purchase before and came up with 20 names. Now, some may be new property owners or people who are just getting into gardening but maybe, just maybe, someone is our bad guy."

JJ sits up. "Are these amounts enough to account for the bombs so far?"

"Uh, no. BUT what if it was several someone's so they can spread out the buys AND it would explain the lack of links between victims if each one was targeted for a different reason!"

JJ slowly nods. "That's freaking brilliant, Pen. Info in the share drive?" Garcia nods. "I'll start through it and get some names rolling for background checks. If your brainstorm turns out to be the break we need I am SO buying you lots of chocolates and making Em buy you lots of pretty things."

JJ regretfully sits in a chair at the table so she can get on her computer. Garcia hurries back to her lair hoping she has found a way to break the case open.

* * *

Security store manager Billy Johns grins as he opens the box and finds the cool Nerf gun inside. He chuckles as he pulls it out and locks the dart back.

"Hey, Stitch! Check this out! I think it's from that job last week."

Stitch turns and looks at his boss. He frowns. "They sent a toy?"

Johns nods. "Yep. Duck!"

Stitch had seen the news that morning. He had seen the warning put out by some Federal Agent. His eyes get wide.

"NO! DON'T FI- -"

The gun explodes, killing Johns immediately. The blast sets off the fuel gel in the packing bubbles, which explode and cover Stitch in flames. The man screams and spins, panicking as he is engulfed in flames. Other employees scream and try to get to fire extinguishers. But Billy falls against a display of cameras…setting off a second explosion from the dummy box that had been left there the day before.

More panic ensues. Flames now lick all the way up to a display right near the front doors. Two employees race for freedom…and flames set off the third explosion, blocking their exit. The men look around. They cannot get to the back door. They cannot get to the front door. They exchange a look as the smoke makes breathing hard. One man points to the front of the store. It's the path of least resistance.

They clasp hands and race through the flames towards the door. They burst out into the street. Passerby's grab the men and help them roll to put out the flames on their clothes. The men are badly burned and coughing as the EMT's arrive to give them aid. One man, shivering as his body goes into shock is whispering something. An EMT leans close.

"What is it, man?"

"Ner…gun…ki…fla…"

The EMT nods. "Okay. Got it. I'll tell the police. Swear."

The man passes out as the EMT begins life saving procedures. His partner looks up.

"What did he say?"

"No fucking clue. Just wanted him to stop trying to talk so we could treat him."

The other EMT nods, having also done the same for victims where all they could do was offer a moment of comfort in situations whose outcome is sadly a foregone conclusion.


	6. Chapter 6

The team watches in frustration as firefighters extinguish the last of the flames at the security company. Emily, standing a little farther away, hangs up her phone and walks over to the others.

"The second man just died. He kept trying to speak but his lungs were so damaged no one could make out the words. The first man hasn't regained consciousness after he passed out here at the scene," she reports.

"Did they make note of what they thought he was saying?" Hotch asks.

"A nurse wrote down a few words. He may have been more coherent for the EMT's but we'll have to track them down ourselves."

Hotch looks at Reid and Rossi. "Get with emergency dispatch and find them. See if they could understand anything he said."

The two agents nod and head off. Morgan sees one of the firefighters talking to the chief. Curious he walks over, flashing them his badge.

"SSA Derek Morgan. Just want to know if this looks like the other bombings."

The firefighter nods. "I was at 2 scenes. Identical to this one. Three noticeable points of ignition. One was right at the front doors. One blocked the backroom. Poor souls never had a chance. At least 3 bodies inside that I could see."

"Shit," Morgan mutters.

"Agent Morgan."

Morgan turn as Inspector Scott Bethune walks up. He extends his hand.

"Bethune. Sorry to see you're needed again."

"Me, too. What do we know?"

Morgan relates what the fireman had reported. Bethune shakes his head.

"Son of a bitch. Please tell me you are close to shutting this bastard down," Bethune begs Morgan.

Morgan regretfully shakes his head. "I wish."

Bethune sighs and goes to start gathering first impressions from the first responders. Morgan walks back over to the team.

"What do we do to get ahead of this fuck, Hotch?"

"We do what we do best. We read the reports, we work the profile, we find the reason these people were targeted," Hotch replies. "To that end, JJ called. Garcia had an idea that maybe the unsub is a team of unsubs targeting each business for their own reason. They work together but are having the fertilizer delivered to different locations to avoid red flags."

"Brilliant," Emily states, glad of a new avenue to investigate.

"She and JJ narrowed it down to 5 individuals outside of Lexington that have gotten deliveries in the last month but have never gotten them before. Additionally they have all been in their homes for some time so this sudden need for fertilizer is strange. I want you two to go see these people tomorrow. Find out why they have the fertilizer and, more importantly, if they still have the fertilizer."

"Could be a wild goose chase," Morgan points out.

"Got a better goose to chase?" Hotch asks.

Morgan sighs. "Wish I did."

"Go on back to the hotel. Garcia has sent the info. Map your course and try to get back as soon as possible tomorrow."

Morgan and Emily nod. They go get in the SUV and start back to the hotel. Emily looks at her friend.

"Want to talk about it?"

"About what?" Morgan asks.

"Derek…"

Morgan sighs and runs a hand over his head. "I think I need a vacation. I know we've talked and I know this is where I am meant to be but…but…"

"But you're losing objectivity, patience, and the ability to compartmentalize it at the end of the day." Morgan nods. "Derek, take a vacation. A real one. Go out of town. Go to…to Hawaii or something. Don't just take time off to beat up a house. Maybe get your Mom and sisters to go with you," she suggests.

Morgan shrugs. "Maybe. We'll see."

"Derek, do it before you cross that line you can't come back across," Emily stresses.

Morgan just nods. Emily knows she can't push him more right now. But when the case is over it's free game on her best friend.

* * *

At 9 that night Emily's phone rings. Despite her mood about the case she smiles as she answers.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Hey, Em, you done for the night?"

"Yep. Left Morgan about 5 minutes ago. You and Garcia did a great job today. Morgan and I are touring several towns outside of Lexington tomorrow. Cross your fingers we find what we're looking for."

"I definitely will. I kind of want you home soon."

Emily grins. "Oh really? Why?" She takes a sip of water.

"Because I am horny as hell and the vibrator's batteries are dead."

Emily spits water across the room.

JJ chuckles. "Well, you asked."

"Son of a bitch, Jen. A little warning before you put that image in my head."

"You mean the image of me in bed naked playing with my nipples as I stroke my clit with the vibrator, making my legs quiver as I imagine it's your mouth driving me to ecstasy."

Emily inhales sharply. "Fuck, Jen," she whispers. "Are you really naked?"

"Yes. And my nipples are aching and reaching for the sky. God, Em, I haven't seen them this hard and tight in soooo long."

Emily is stripping. Fast.

"Em, you there?"

"Almost right where you are, baby." Emily leaps into the bed, the cool sheets not dimming the heat coursing through her body. She puts her phone on the side table on speaker.

JJ grins, hearing the lust in her wife's voice. "Tell me what your nipples look like, Emily."

Emily runs a hand over her chest, her sensitive peaks immediately tightening. "Oh, baby, they are so hard for you."

"I so want to drag my tongue across them, wetting them, then I can blow on them, cooling them and getting them even harder."

"Oh, yeah…harder…" Emily says, tweaking both nipples, her eyes closed and picturing her wife being the one playing with her breasts.

"Then I can suck one in as I play with the other, pinching it and twisting it as you writhe below me."

Emily's two hands act out JJ's descriptions. Her breathing is getting labored…and her clit is getting harder.

"Jen…I need…I need…"

"I know what you need, baby. And I will give it to you when I am ready. Do NOT let your hands get ahead of me, understood."

Emily groans. "Fuck, Jen…"

"Understood?" JJ asks again. No answer. "Answer or I hang up."

"You are so fucking cruel sometimes."

"Emily?"

"I understand. I swear I understand," Emily finally capitulates.

JJ smiles victoriously. "Open the inner pocket of your go bag."

"But I'm in bed," Emily whines.

"Emily…do it," JJ orders.

Emily groans and leaps out of bed. She opens the pocket and sees a small black case inside. She pulls it out, confused

"Jen, what is this?"

"Get back in bed."

Emily starts back to the bed and opens the case. She freezes. "Holy shit…"

JJ grins. "Bed, Emily. I had hoped to be there to show this to you personally. Now I'll have to talk you through the use of it."

Emily lifts the silver bullet vibrator out and stares at it. "You, Mrs. Prentiss, can be a pretty randy little pregnant woman."

JJ just chuckles. "Are you wet enough for it?"

Emily reaches down. "Oh, yeah. So yeah."

"Go ahead, Emily. Put it in."

Emily bites her lip as she slides it in. "Okay. It's in."

"Got the remote?"

"Uh huh."

"Level one."

Emily turns it on, immediately wanting to turn it up higher but she manages to refrain. "Jen…Jen, it feels…so light…so…so teasing."

"I know. Put the remote down. My mouth wants to suck on your tits some more."

"Unnnnggghhh…" Emily sets the remote down and brings her hands back to her chest.

"Are they are even harder now? More sensitive?"

"Yes, oh, baby, yes," Emily says.

JJ talks Emily through various ways to massage her chest for five minutes. Finally she can tell how close Emily is to the edge.

"Level 2, Emily."

Emily moans and, with shaking hands, grabs the remote. She ups the toy inside her one notch.

"Oh, Jen…so good. So, so good," she whispers as her hips start to thrust up and down.

JJ teases her wife, giving her all sorts of masturbatory fantasies for close to 30 minutes. Finally the bullet has just one last level left. JJ, having already made Emily listen to the blonde's orgasm, knows the brunette is just a mere touch away from release herself.

"You've been so good, Emily. So patient. So caring. Turn it all the way up and come for me, sweetheart. Come for me now!"

Emily pushes the remote one last time and let's one hand work her clit as her other continues to work an over-sensitive nipple.

"Oh, Jen! Oh, baby…"

"Pinch that nipple, Emily. Pretend it's me biting down on it as my hand thrusts deep into your hot pussy!"

At that crude request, Emily's body tenses and she rides waves of pleasure to an incredible orgasm.

"Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!"

Her hand fumbles with the remote, trying to get it turned off before her head explodes. Finally the vibrations stop and she lies in sweat soaked sheets panting.

"Em? You still with me?"

"Sadly, no. I'm hundreds of miles away from you. If I was with you I'll be pulling you close and telling you how much I love you and how much you never cease to amaze me." Emily sighs. "When the hell did you put that in my bag?"

"Last weekend. Planned to surprise you in person with it," JJ admits with a giggle. "Hope this was an okay substitution."

Emily smiles. "More than okay. But I do look forward to letting you have complete control so I can just enjoy letting you have your way with my body."

"Mmmm, can't wait," JJ says, her voice husky.

Emily shivers. "Damn…I love when you voice drops a half octave. Really wish I was up for another round of phone sex."

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"Hopefully. I'll make sure to drink plenty of Powerade and a couple Monster's before bed so you can rock my world all night."

JJ laughs. "And then have to explain to the team why you're exhausted the next day?"

Emily chuckles. "Okay, so maybe we call that plan B."

"Good idea." JJ takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I love you, Emily. I miss you."

"I miss you, too, Jen." Emily thinks a second. "If leads don't start panning out soon we'll be here forever. Or we'll have to leave with nothing but a profile to show we were ever here and pray the body count doesn't continue to rise."

JJ hugs Emily's pillow. "I know. Honestly, this little diversion was to help you put it away for the night. Didn't mean for it to make you start thinking about what you may be missing for a while."

Emily smiles. "Trust me when I say this little diversion, as you called it, will give me pleasant dreams. I really needed this, Jen. Thank you for…for everything."

"No need to thank me, Emily. I love you. If I can't be there to help you relax, well, at least we have unlimited calling plans."

Emily chuckles. "Very true." Emily glances at the clock. "I think I need to shower and get to bed. Meeting Morgan early for breakfast so we can start our tour of South Carolina."

"I understand. I'll be at the office by 9 so if you all need anything give me a call."

"And if I just want to hear the voice of the sexiest profiler in FBI?"

JJ smiles. "Then call your voicemail."

Emily laughs. "Charmer."

"I learned from the best, Princess Charming." JJ sighs. "I love you, Em."

"I love you, too. Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Night, baby."

Emily reluctantly ends the call. She lies in bed a moment, her body still warm after the pleasure her wife had guided her through. She lifts up the little toy that had assisted in the fantasy. She chuckles and shakes her head.

"So many surprises, Mrs. Prentiss. You are an amazing little minx and I love you more and more each day."

She gets up so she can get ready for bed to prepare for another day chasing a bomber getting more and more deadly.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning Morgan and Emily set off towards Orangeburg, SC, about an hour southeast of Lexington. Two homes there had made Garcia's list of unusual deliveries of fertilizer. On the way they would stop at homes in Swansea and North and then head west to Windsor to a property near Aiken State Park. They are in for a long day and can only hope it will prove fruitful. Emily yawns and stretches as she reviews the information on the first stop. Morgan glances at her, grinning.

"If your wife was in town I'd ask if you had a late night," he teases.

Emily chuckles, praying he doesn't notice the blush. "Bed sucks. Would be more comfy sleeping on rocks."

"Ugh. Hate that."

Emily nods. "Hazard of the job, right?" Morgan just shrugs. "Okay, first stop is in Swansea. Widow named Margery Fiat. 83 years old. Four kids, 9 grandkids and, wow, 3 great-grandkids."

"Lots of family. Maybe one of them is using her land to grow a garden."

Emily shrugs. "Could be. She's outside city limits and has 10 acres. Maybe all the kids are going green. According to Garcia's information there was enough fertilizer sent to spread over all 10 acres with some left over."

"Damn."

"Yep. And it still wasn't enough to raise a huge red flag. Kinda scary."

"Definitely."

Thirty minutes later they are knocking on the door of a quaint little house. Morgan is looking around the yard.

"I don't see any evidence of a huge garden needing all that fertilizer."

"Me neither," Emily agrees.

The agents hold up their badges as a spry octogenarian opens the door. She smiles at them. "I promise, officers, I was not cheating at Bingo last night."

Emily laughs. "Well then our work here is done." The three chuckle. "Actually I'm Agent Emily Prentiss and this Agent Derek Morgan with the FBI. We wanted to ask you about a large shipment of fertilizer you received recently."

The woman's eyes widen. "Oh, how exciting! Why are you worried about my little gardens?"

"Well, the amount you ordered and the fact that you never ordered that much before just threw up a little red flag," Emily says casually. "Just part of our diligence post 9/11."

"Oh, well, let me show you what it was used for."

She takes the agents on a 20 minute tour of her flower gardens. They are pretty little plots right up near the house and Emily is sure they will be gorgeous when they are in full bloom. However there is no way all the fertilizer was needed for these small patches. Morgan looks at the lady.

"If I may ask, why did you order so much this year?"

"Oh, it wasn't much. Just a few bags."

Morgan is stunned. "Uh, there was more than a few bags delivered."

She frowns. "No, no I'm sure Marvin just order 5 bags."

"Who is Marvin?" Emily asks.

"Marvin Anonimo. He is a nice young man that helps me with my gardening. He told me how the fertilizer would give me the best flower blooms ever."

Emily's eyebrow had lifted at the name. Morgan notices but says nothing. Emily smiles.

"Do you have a way we could contact him?"

"Of course. I have his phone number. Come inside. Would you agents like some lemonade?"

Morgan shakes his head. "No thank you, ma'am."

Five minutes later the agents are leaving with red solo cups of lemonade and fresh sugar cookies. They also have the phone number for Marvin Anonimo for Garcia to track.

"Got to be a burn phone. He has what he needs from her so he may dump the phone," Emily says.

"Maybe. Or if he doesn't believe we're on to him he may keep in contact to use her again in the future." He glances at Emily. "What's with the name? I saw you react to it."

Emily grins. "Anonimo is Italian for anonymous."

Morgan starts to chuckle. "Give him credit for originality."

Emily chuckles. "Maybe." She hits Garcia's number. "Hey, PG, got some info for you to play with." She gives her the information on the overly helpful gardener. She listens a second. "Burn phone. What a surprise. Well, see if you can work magic for us. We'll be in touch soon." Emily hangs up. "So, south to North?"

Morgan smiles and nods. "Yep. Only in South Carolina would the town of North be in the center of the state."

Emily chuckles, agreeing with him 100%.

* * *

Rossi extends his hand to a man who looks as though his world will never be right again. Seeing the man has not yet gotten beyond the shock of losing his wife Rossi knows they won't get much out of this interview unless they are very lucky. The Italian agent gestures to the man's own living room.

"How about we sit down and we ask you a few questions?" he suggests.

Gerard Devereaux just nods and allows Rossi to lead him by the elbow into the room. Reid sits in the arm chair as the other two men take the couch. Rossi takes the lead.

"Mr. Devereaux, first let me say we are so sorry for your loss."

The man nods, his eyes blank. "My wife and daughter. Both of them. How…who…" he just shakes his head. "I don't understand."

Rossi sighs. "Sadly deaths like this are beyond understanding. All I can promise you is we will do everything we can to work with the local police and find this unsub as soon as we can."

Devereaux looks up in confusion. "Unsub?"

Reid sits forward, his elbows on his knees. "It means 'unknown subject' and it's what we call the perpetrator until we know who he is." The devastated man just nods, still not really registering what they are saying. "Mr. Devereaux, do you know if your wife was having any trouble with other business owners or…or maybe disgruntled customers?"

The man shrugs. "I don't know. Nothing that made me think…or her think…fuck, if she had been worried Kimberly wouldn't have been there. And before you say anything, I know Kimberly wasn't her daughter by birth but she was raised as if she was. She'd have insisted our daughter stay home if she thought there was danger."

Reid nods. "I believe that. But she may not have realized the depth of someone's anger. Anyone at all that she complained about?"

He thinks a moment but shakes his head. "No. I don't know. Maybe. Kimberly would know if…" his voice trails off as it hits him his daughter might have known but she had been killed, too. His eyes well up with tears. "Oh my God!"

He collapses back on the couch as he is wracked with sobs. Reid and Rossi exchange a look. It is just too soon. Rossi pulls the man into a hug.

"Can we call anyone for you? Have them come stay with you?"

"My…my…parents?"

Rossi slips the man's phone off his belt and hands it to Reid. The genius steps into another room to reach out to the man's parents. A few minutes later he walks back in.

"They are already on their way. Should be here in half an hour or so. Your wife's parents are with them," he tells the man who can only nod as Rossi continues to hold him through his grief.

The agents remain at the home until the parents arrive. They leave their cards with them but pray they can arrest a suspect soon to give this man some semblance of peace since he lost his wife and only child to madness.

* * *

The second house Morgan and Emily check on also contained an older woman who was receiving help from a Marvin Anonym, the last name being German for anonymous Emily explains. The descriptions of both men had been similar but with enough differences that tell them he is smart enough to not only spread out his buys but to also disguise his face.

At the third home they are glad to see the owner is a younger man, maybe in his 50's. They believe he will be a more reliable witness.

And then he opens his mouth.

"I KNEW IT!" Simon Rhodes exclaims with glee when he sees their badges. "I told him you all would come when you figured out that the alignment was coming and the golden thread was being stretched tight and that could only mean the visitors will be here soon to make sure we are ready for them."

Emily and Morgan exchange a look.

"Uh, what?" Emily finally asks.

The man ignores her and just walks back into his house. Morgan and Emily shrug then follow him.

"The transcendental bridge to Jupiter is wavering because the robotic overseers are getting weak. They need our iron to feed their engines so they can maintain their infrastructure. I told him!" he says excitedly. "I told him I was sitting on the secret stash and he didn't believe me at first but then he did and spread out the protective dirt with the nuclear particles to disguise it but I told him it was too late because the vibrations from the false earthquakes were really them testing the ground and soon they would send their emissaries disguised as government lackey's to drain my brain of knowledge so they can steal my stash and prepare for the invasion."

Morgan and Emily are beyond stunned. The man's house is a cluttered nightmare. His walls contain drawings, diagrams, phrases written in various mediums. But it is all crazy ramblings about robots from Jupiter attacking the earth.

"Oh. My. God." Emily whispers.

"Yeah," Morgan agrees quietly. He clears his throat. "Uh, Mr. Rhodes? Can we ask you about some fertilizer you received recently?"

Rhodes stares at him in confusion. "Fertilizer? The overseers don't need fertilizer?" he replies almost coherently.

Emily tries a different tactic. "What about the protective dirt you received?"

Rhodes frowns and starts to wag a finger at her. "Oh, no! No! I won't tell you the secret to defeating it. When the cosmic balance slips and Neptune crashes into Venus I won't be held responsible by the dictator living in Saturn's rings. Your mind games won't affect me! I cut out the transponder that gives you access to my thoughts and no way in hell are you putting it back in!"

He turns and lifts up his shoulder length hair to show a nasty, infected wound at the base of his skull.

"Oh, shit," Emily mutters. She looks at Morgan. The man needs medical help but they know to suggest it could send him onto a tear. Morgan nods that he's ready to protect Emily if needed. She turns back to Rhodes. "Uh, you did good, Mr. Rhodes. We're with…the dictator in the rings. He saw that you were able to break the connection with the government trying to stop him. He's proud of you, Mr. Rhodes, and asked that we accompany you to a hospital for treatment." She pats her sidearm. "He gave us special weapons that will stun anyone who tries to put another transponder into you."

Rhodes studies her and Morgan carefully. "How…how do I know you're not lying?"

Emily glances around at the walls then steps close to him and whispers. "Because the cosmic watchdogs cannot lie, Mr. Rhodes. We stand at our temples and defend them with teeth of iron and lasers in our eyes."

Morgan looks confused as Rhodes gets excited. He practically jumps for joy before engulfing Emily in a bear hug. She rolls her eyes as she returns it, much to Morgan's amusement.

"You're you! You really are you!"

Emily nods. "We are. But you must be quiet about our true identities. When we get to the hospital we will pretend to be with the FBI. The doctors and nurses will be programmed to believe that. If any have been taken over by the Interplanetary Alliance we'll be able to tell by the glow in their eyes." She pats her gun again. "And we'll be able to stun them until we can return them to the hidden moon of Mars for interrogation."

Rhodes nods excitedly. "Yes! Good! Okay! Let me get ready."

Emily nods. "Of course, Mr. Rhodes."

As the man starts to mumble to himself and put a whole lot of random items into his pockets, Morgan looks at his partner.

"What the fuck?"

Emily grins. "Look at the walls."

Morgan turns his attention to the walls and still just sees a bunch of gibberish. He slowly shakes his head. "Why do I feel like Reid would completely understand what the hell you are seeing up there?"

Emily just chuckles as Morgan starts to snap photos of the ramblings to share with the team, especially Reid, that evening. Forty-five minutes later they are leaving the local hospital, where Rhodes has been detained for psychiatric evaluation. Sadly his mental state means he is not going to be a reliable witness for them.

* * *

JJ walks into Garcia's office with a print out in her hands. "Garcia, Morgan just called. Rhodes was a space case of the utmost degree." She grins. "And my wife scares her partner since she was able to connect with the man."

Garcia laughs. "Wow, I can't wait to hear that story!"

"No kidding," JJ agrees. "Anyway, Rhodes doesn't have a phone listed under his name. Is there a way to see if he has 1 or 2 burn phones pinging towers in his area during the time the fertilizer was ordered?"

Garcia starts to type. "Okay, since we have so far seen 2 burn phones for the first two suspects we can guess the unsub did not use either of those phones with Rhodes but just in case we…well…forget my assumptions. The phone used with little old lady #2 was used with Rhodes."

"Probably because he knew Rhodes was too mentally gone to give up the number," JJ concludes.

"Good point. And the phone used to place the order is a burn phone and yes it shows a lot of chats with the other phone."

"So description or not, name or not, we know the unsub is behind this batch of fertilizer." JJ sighs. "But let's hope we find more to connect the unsub to this guy since an eyewitness account is out the window."

"Got it. Let's see what we can string together to help make sure this guy stays in the web," Garcia says as she and JJ start to delve deep into the life of Simon Rhodes.

* * *

The fourth stop for Morgan and Emily had once again proved to be an elderly person. This time a man who was so happy to have Marvin Anoniem (Dutch this time) help him with his yard work. And again he had needed far less fertilizer than had been delivered to him.

The fifth stop is the most remote stop so far on their list. Well secluded from his neighbors, the homestead of Eddie Stanford is perfect for their unsub to not only receive fertilizer but to also assemble the bombs. Morgan glances at Emily.

"Think this could be the unsub?"

Emily is reading the background Garcia had dug up. She shakes her head. "Not yet. According to this he is mentally handicapped. Not so bad he has to be in a hospital but he does have a social worker who checks on him once a month. His church also makes sure he has food and other necessities during the year."

"So not the unsub but perhaps easily manipulated by the unsub," Morgan concludes. Emily nods. "This place is so tree shrouded all sorts of things could go on here and no one would know."

"Maybe including testing bombs," Emily finishes his thought.

Both agents unconsciously move their hands to their hips, making sure their guns are right where they should be as Morgan turns off the road onto a rutted, dirt driveway. As they exit the trees into a clearing they see a house, an old but still useable shed…and two craters with singed grass around their edges.

"Trial explosions," Emily notes.

"Yep," Morgan agrees as he snaps a couple of photos and sends them to Garcia and the rest of the team.

The two agents cautiously approach the front door. Morgan nods as Emily continuously scans the tree lines in case Stanford or the unsub try to ambush them. After Morgan knocks a second time they hear plodding footsteps approaching the door. Morgan takes a deep breath and holds up his credentials as it is opened by a man who is easily 6'6" and built like a linebacker.

"Mr. Stanford? I'm Derek- -."

A hand the size of a Virginia ham slams into Morgan's face. He stumbles backwards into Emily, who barely avoids falling from the force of the hit. Stanford makes an inhuman sound and slams the door.

Morgan gets back to his feet and kicks open the door. He and Emily race into the house, their guns drawn. They hear a screen door slam against the doorjamb at the back of the house and race in that direction. They carefully enter the kitchen but see it is empty. Through the window Emily sees Stanford racing into the woods.

"Fuck! He's in the woods, Morgan!"

The two agents race out the back and across the backyard. At the tree line they are forced to slow down. The cover is so thick it almost looks like nighttime with spotty tendrils of light snaking down through the foliage.

"MR. STANFORD! WE AREN'T HERE TO HURT YOU OR TAKE YOU AWAY!" Morgan yells. "WE JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU!"

The agents exchange a look. Silence is the only answer Morgan gets. Something had startled birds into no longer chirping. They hear the muffled sounds of someone running and, taking a deep breath, they start off into the woods. After about 20 yards the thick underbrush clears a little and they are able to speed up, Morgan in the lead. Suddenly he sees Stanford just head.

"STANFORD! WAIT!" Morgan yells.

The large man ducks around a large rock. Morgan and Emily pick up the pace, sure they are closing in on him. Emily takes a step and suddenly feels herself plunging towards the ground.

"FUCK!" she screams.

Morgan skids to a stop and looks back. Emily is wincing as pain starts to register. Her right ankle, the one broken badly in Alaska, is caught in a bear trap. She bites her lip but waves Morgan away.

"Keep. Going. Be. Fine." She grunts out. Morgan stares at her a second but she waves him on again. "GO!"

Morgan turns and continues after Stanford. Emily takes a second to evaluate her situation. Thankfully she had worn her tactical boots that day so the thick leather had helped protect the inside of her ankle. The metal teeth of the trap had still cut into the leather and into her skin. But the outside teeth had been stopped by her clutch piece which is probably the only reason her ankle isn't broken again.

"Fuck that shit still hurts," she mutters

She sits up, takes her gun and tries to use the muzzle to pry the trap open but she doesn't have the leverage needed. She drops back onto the ground.

"Shit. Shit. Double shit. Fuck, to quote my gorgeous wife," she mumbles.

She tries once more but it is obvious she's not going anywhere until Morgan gets back to her. She looks around the woods.

"Hopefully he'll find this spot again," Emily says to herself.

She holsters her gun and starts to try to manipulate the trap with her hands. Just as she decides that is as pointless as using her gun as a lever she hears a twig snap. She looks up as Eddie Stanford steps into the clearing.

And he is holding a very large stick.


	8. Chapter 8

"The local police are doing a good job dealing with a type of crime they are not used to dealing with," Hotch says to the gathered media. "Knowing this is a unique situation they have reached out to the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit and we are assisting them as they work to identify the person or persons placing these bombs."

"So you're saying they don't know what they are doing?" a reporter yells.

"I have said no such thing," Hotch responds calmly. "They have done a fantastic job with the early stages of the investigation and their continued good work will help make your city safe once more. Their ability to recognize that this unsub, meaning unknown subject, was more than they had direct experience with is what brought us here. They are truly living up to their oath to serve and protect this community by reaching out for help."

"How close are you to stopping this murderer?" another reporter yells.

"We currently have teams of agents investigating several leads as well as re-interviewing family, friends and business associates of the victims. Somewhere in the history of the businesses targeted or individuals targeted is a crossover that will lead us to the bomber and allow the police to make Lexington safe once again. As we have more developments we will be in touch. Thank you."

Hotch ignores questions called out to his back as he leaves the press room and returns to the conference room the team is using. He had felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and hopes it is one of his agents with a solid lead for them to follow. So far they are still scarily behind the unsub. As soon as the door is closed behind him he hits redial.

"Reid, what do you have?"

"Maybe something, maybe nothing. We were speaking with the family of the owner of the security company, Chuck Waverly. As we were leaving Waverly's house, Rossi noticed that there were very few pictures of his parents and siblings whereas his widow had many of her family. Turns out, Waverly was adopted and he is no longer close to his adoptive parents or siblings. We called Garcia to get more background on him since he is estranged from them."

"Did she find anything?"

"She did. Hotch, all the heads of these businesses were adopted."

"All of them?"

"Yes, all of them. Garcia is trying to see if there are any agencies, foster families, or anything in their past that they have in common."

"Damn. Well done, Reid. How close are you and Rossi to being done?"

"Two more stops."

"Good. Get back here as soon as you can. Something tells me Garcia is going to have a lot of information on that search and it will be more than just JJ can weed through."

"I concur. We'll let you know if anything more pops for us."

Hotch hangs up and dials Garcia. "Garcia, heard you have a thread to pull."

"More like a quilt to unravel," Garcia admits. "I have several filters based on things Reid said and a few more from Jayje but it still a lot of red tape bullshit to peel through."

"Tell you what, filter it lightly. We don't want to accidentally eliminate something that could tie to something else. Get the info out to all of us and we'll start weeding through it to see if we can give you more exact filters."

Garcia's fingers fly over the keyboard. "Will do, sir. I do have one more bit of info on a search Morgan and Emily had me run but they are out of signal area."

"What is it?"

"I've been able to locate the numbers for all the burn phones and locate three phones used to call those phones. They were all purchased at a Family Dollar in the heart of Lexington."

"Interesting. Shoot me the address so I can put it on Reid's map." Hotch thinks a second. "Is there any way for you to search say a 5 mile radius of that store for anyone who was adopted?"

Garcia's fingers freeze as she contemplates that. "Sir, honestly, no way."

Hotch sighs. "Didn't think so but you are so amazing I had to ask. After all, if our Oracle of Quantico can't do it no one can."

Garcia smiles. "Oh, sir, you are so sweet. Just for that I will try anyway."

Hotch grins. "Don't waste too much time on it when there are other easier searches to make, Garcia."

"I won't, Hotch, but you know I love a challenge. Oracle out!"

Hotch smiles and pockets his phone. If it can be found, she will find it. Of that he has no doubt.

* * *

Emily's hand goes to her gun as Eddie steps closer. He points to the trap then holds up the stick.

"Yeah, I get it, buddy. I stepped in your trap so now you gotta club me. No way!" Emily insists as she starts to pull her gun. Eddie lifts his left hand and starts to move his fingers rapidly. Emily stops her gun halfway out of the holster. She frowns. "Are you…signing to me?" Eddie nods. "Oh…okay. Um, I am not very good at sign language but if you go slowly I may be able to follow," she tells him. Eddie slows his hands as Emily spells out the letters. "C. A. N. G. E. T. O. P. E. M." Eddie shakes his head and signs again. "Ah. N." Emily thinks a second. "Oh! You can get the trap open!" Eddie nods, a smile on his face that Emily understood him. She shrugs. "Go for it, Mr. Stanford." He signs again. Emily smiles. "Right. Eddie."

He steps forward and has Emily bend her leg so her foot and the trap are as flat as can be. He then steps on the opening release and wedges the stick between the teeth just above the top of Emily's foot. He presses down on the release and the stick. As soon as Emily feels the pressure ease she scoots back, sighing in relief as her foot comes free. As soon as she is clear, Eddie pulls out the stick and steps off the release. Emily winces as the trap snaps shut.

"Damn," she mutters, thankful for her clutch piece for a reason she had never expected to be. She looks at Eddie. "Thank you." He uses the sign for "you're welcome". "Eddie, did you set this trap?"

He signs. "No. The bad man did. Said he would send people to hurt me if I didn't let him."

"I see. And you thought Morgan and I were those bad men?" He nods. "I promise we aren't. Does the bad man have a name?" Eddie shakes his head. "Is he the one that ordered all the fertilizer for you?" Eddie nods. "Do you know if it is still here?"

"No. He brought more then took it all again when he made the special presents," he replies with his hands.

"Special presents. Were those presents toys?" Eddie nods. "Do you know how many?" Eddie shakes his head. "Do you remember what the toys were?"

He nods happily, his fingers moving almost too fast for Emily to follow. "Yes. He let me play with them before he fixed them. He even promised to send me my favorite one when he was done with his job."

"Eddie, those toys he made have hurt people. If he sends you one it could hurt you, too. Promise me if you get one you will not open it and you will tell me or the people from your church or your social worker if he sends you something, okay? Please, promise me."

"Ok," he signs.

Emily can only hope he remembers the warning. She can feel her ankle swelling in her boot. She looks down and sees blood leaking out of the holes from the trap teeth. She pulls out her phone to call Morgan but has no signal.

"Damn. Eddie, do you know where- -"

"FREEZE!"

Morgan jumps into the clearing, his gun leveled at the large man holding a big stick. Emily lifts her hand up as Eddie seems ready to run again.

"WAIT! Morgan, lower your gun! Eddie, it's okay. He is my friend and thinks you want to hurt me with your stick. He's just protecting me just like you did when you freed me from the trap."

Morgan studies the scene and slowly holsters his gun. Since Emily is free he trusts what she is saying. He kneels beside his best friend.

"You okay?"

"Been better. Didn't snap all the way closed because of my clutch piece but did some damage. Boot is getting tight as it swells."

"And it's bleeding, too. Can you walk?"

Emily shrugs. "Not sure."

He helps Emily up but she is unable to put any weight on her ankle. Morgan is about to suggest she wait here while he gets help when Eddie steps up. He drops his stick and lifts Emily up into his arms. Emily wraps an arm around his neck and smiles.

"Uh, thanks, Eddie." He nods and kicks his stick towards Morgan. "Derek, get his stick,  
Emily asks.

Morgan nods and lifts it up. "Got it, Eddie," he tells the large man.

Eddie smiles and starts back through the woods. He doesn't even struggle with the added weight of Emily. Morgan just smiles and shakes his head.

"Crazy fucking day," he whispers as he starts after the man and his partner.

As they walk Emily tells Morgan what she has learned from Eddie. By the time they reach the house they know they have to convince Eddie to leave with them before the unsub decides to start getting rid of anyone who can identify him. Emily also knows they need to get her to an ER so her boot can be cut off and her ankle treated.

"Hurts bad, Derek," she mumbles as Eddie sets her into the back seat of the SUV so she can stretch out.

Morgan nods and looks at Eddie. "Eddie, I am not sure where the hospital is. Do you know?" The man nods. Morgan smiles. "Good. Maybe you can come with us and show me the way? And then you can maybe come back to Lexington with us and help us identify the special gifts the bad man made here."

Eddie looks at Emily, who smiles and nods as she bites her lip against the increased throbbing in her ankle. Eddie turns and nods to Morgan but then runs back to the house. Morgan glances at Emily then follows. He gets to the steps just as Eddie comes out with a well worn stuffed puppy dog. Eddie holds it up and smiles. Morgan smiles at the man with the child-like mind.

"I love dogs. Glad to have him with us."

Eddie hugs the dog close and goes to get in the front seat of the SUV.

* * *

"Hotchner."

"It's Morgan. I'm at an ER with Emily and one of our witnesses."

Hotch stiffens. "What happened?"

Morgan gives him a quick rundown of what they had found at the homestead and what had happened to Emily in the woods.

"My guess is there are other booby traps around the place. He was getting it ready to be stormed by the police. We need to get a team out there and get a look at it. There may be more bombs there that haven't been retrieved yet. We never did get to look into the shed."

"Any chance Eddie can sign a release for us to search his property?"

"He could but I'm not sure it would stand up to a judicial challenge due to his mental state. We'd need his social worker to witness it and anyone else who may have power of attorney over him."

"I'll get on that," Hotch offers. "Expect Reid and Rossi to meet you at the homestead with the release and the state police. How do you feel about Lindall joining you all?"

Morgan considers that a moment. "Send him. We can profile his actions on the scene where the bombs were made and either zero in on him as a suspect or eliminate him. Reid, Rossi and I know what to watch for with him."

"Good point. Don't hesitate to take him into custody if you feel the need."

"I won't. I see Em's doctor. Call you back when I know her status."

"Good. Tell her to be good and listen to the doctors."

Morgan chuckles. "I'll try, Hotch, but I'm no miracle worker." He hangs up as Hotch laughs. He walks over to the doctor and flashes his credentials. "Status on Prentiss?"

"Lucky. Her gun kept the snap from shutting completely or she would have had broken leg just above the ankle. She has three holes on the inner leg from the teeth and when she went down it looks like she probably twisted her ankle, spraining it badly. No permanent ligament damage but she'll need to stay off it and keep it wrapped and iced the next few days. No stitches needed but she'll need a topical antibiotic and to keep those holes covered until they heal. Her tetanus is already up to date but she'll need to watch those wounds for infection since I don't know the condition of the metal that bit into her."

"Looked practically new," Morgan tells him.

"Could be good or bad depending on if it had snapped shut on anything else and just general weather and other elements getting to it. All in all, she should be fine. I'll start her discharge papers now."

Morgan shakes the man's hand. "Thanks, Doc."

As the man walks away, Morgan walks into Emily's room. He sees her holding Eddie's stuffed dog as the gentle giant stands nearby. Emily smiles and holds the pup up.

"Eddie is right: he helps me feel better."

Morgan claps Eddie on the arm. "Thanks for taking care of her twice now, friend."

Eddie smiles proudly. Morgan turns back to Emily.

"Team coming down to check things out," he says, not saying too much so that Eddie doesn't get agitated. Emily nods, understanding. Morgan looks back at Eddie. "A state trooper is going to give you and Emily a ride back to Lexington. Bet if you asked nicely he'd turn on the lights and sirens for you."

Eddie smiles happily and claps his hands. Morgan just grins at the man. Emily shifts a bit in the bed. Morgan looks at her.

"You going to listen and stay off that ankle?" he asks, looking at the wrapped yet obviously swollen joint.

"Don't think I'll have a choice," Emily admits. She hands him her phone, showing him the pic she had sent to Jen before it was wrapped.

Morgan grimaces. "Ouch."

"Yeah," Emily agrees. "Might even take the one of the pain pills the doctor is prescribing. Not sure I'll be much help the rest of the day."

"Just heal up the rest of the day, Emily. We'll need your mind as we close in on this guy. Especially if we have to speak to Rhodes again."

Emily chuckles. "True. Sorry I won't have your back, buddy."

He pats her leg. "You'll have it when I need it. Of that I have no doubt."

* * *

"I know you guys love your clutch pieces but Emily might have to buy hers something pretty," Garcia says as she stares at the picture on JJ's phone.

"No shit," JJ agrees. "She is being taken to the hotel to ice it and take a pain pill."

"Damn. Princess taking herself out of the game. Scary."

"You said it. Eddie's social worker is taking him to his priest. He should be safe there and the priest is the one that taught him sign language so he's going to work with Eddie to identify how many toy bombs were made." JJ pockets her phone. "How did the unsub find these 5 individuals? Five people whose trust he earned enough to order the fertilizer to their homes with their money then take it without them questioning it. Two were easily manipulated because of their mental states. You can assumes the two widows and the widower were just happy to have someone to ease their loneliness. This unsub was able to find them and profile them well enough to know they would be perfect for this vendetta. But how the hell did he find them?"

Garcia turns back to her computer. "I have no idea. Different town, different utility companies, different everything!"

"Wait a second…not all different towns. Lexington is where he is bombing. But there were two places in Orangeburg that received deliveries of fertilizer. Why risk two hits to the same town? Why not get that fifth delivery sent to a fifth town?"

Garcia shrugs. "I have no idea. And, sadly, I have no way to search that."

JJ squeezes her shoulder. "I know. That's something we have to find in all the information you've already gleaned for us. I'll be in the conference room looking for a needle in a haystack."

"You know Reid would tell you a needle is easily- -"

"Stop now! From what I've heard EmiReid has already played a huge part in one part of this case and I fear it may come back into play again. I have to have a sanctuary from the geekiness of my wife and little brother."

Garcia laughs as JJ goes out to try to see if she can find the one little link she feels could help break the case open.

* * *

Reid, Rossi and Morgan along with 4 investigators from the State Police and bomb specialist Seth Lindall have arrived at the home of Eddie Stanford. Morgan and Lindall go with 2 techs towards the shed while the other LEOs head into the house. Reid and Rossi immediately look around. The house is neat and clean but looks like a child lives there instead of an adult. Reid walks over to a wall holding over a hundred movies.

"All rated G," he notes. "Most animated. Lots of religious ones, probably from the church members that watch over him."

Rossi nods. "Most likely." He looks at the state police with them. "One of you with Reid the other with me. We need to locate anything that the bomber may have left here though I am almost certain he never entered the main house."

"Why do you think that?" one patrolman asks.

Rossi gestures. "Look around. Nothing here makes you think mad bomber has been inside. Nothing. Even if Eddie is a neat freak he would have left the unsub's things right where the unsub left them to keep from making his friend mad or upset."

"Oh. Right."

Rossi smiles. "Come on. Let's check things out anyway in case this old dog is wrong."

The man grins and follows Rossi down the hall towards the bedrooms as Reid and the other man start on the living room.

* * *

Out at the shed, Morgan shakes his head. "Guess we found the bomb makers lair."

A table is littered with remnants from the fertilizer bags as well as the other items needed to make the bombs. Lindall goes to one knee and pulls a box out from under the table.

"Drum box."

Morgan shakes his head. "This place gave him the privacy to build them and test them. Let's get to work."

An hour later Morgan shakes his head. "He has 4 more ready to go."

Lindall nods. "Yep."

Morgan turns to the bomb tech. "So you with us or against us?"

"Excuse me?" Lindall challenges.

"You've hidden information from us, you've acted suspicious from day one, you've pretended that you withheld information to test me. Man, I've been a profiler longer than you've been on the bomb squad. So I'll ask again, you going to continue to fuck with our investigation or are you all in?"

Lindall has the grace to look ashamed. "I'm…I'm in." He takes a deep breath. "I thought breaking this case on my own would give me a promotion I want. I held the info back hoping to impress the brass by beating the big bad FBI to the fuck killing people. When I caught you and Prentiss at the crime scene the other day I was pissed because I was concerned you had figured out what I had held back."

"The second and third ignition points," Morgan states.

Lindall nods. "Yeah. The last bombing…it shook me. I wasn't expecting the fuck to act so soon after the previous one. When he did I spent a sleepless night worrying he had been able to act because I was less than honest with you and your team and it cost 5 people their lives. Not sure I will ever forgive myself for that. It also told me that I'm probably not ready for that promotion I have been wanting. I'm sorry, Agent Morgan."

Morgan extends his hand. "Forgiven. Sorry you had to learn such a tough lesson. If it makes you feel better this guy has already set his schedule. He knows when he wants to hit his next 4 targets. Our only hope is to get ahead of him somehow or find fingerprints or something else on everything we have bagged and tagged."

Lindall nods. "Let's hope we get something. I sure as hell don't want to visit 4 more bomb sites."

"I hear that. Let's go see what they found inside."

Morgan and Lindall head for the house as the State Troopers carry the evidence to their cruiser to take to the state labs with a message to rush the tests on everything so they can stop a mad bomber. They are nearly back to the house when Morgan spots a piece of paper caught in a bush. It flutters in the breeze as if trying to get his attention. He walks over and, since his gloves are still on, pulls it out of the bush. He frowns as he sees the random series of letters and numbers on it. He grins.

"Time for Geek Force 1 to show us his stuff."

"What?" Lindall asks.

"You'll see," Morgan says with a grin.

The two men enter the house. Reid and Rossi are in the living room with their troopers.

"No way the unsub was ever in the house," Rossi says.

"The shed was his playground," Morgan says. He holds up the piece of paper. "But I think he lost this. It was in a bush outside. What do you make of it, Reid?"

Reid takes the paper and reads over the coded information. He lifts his head, his eyes glazing over as his mind starts to work through the cryptic message. Lindall looks at Morgan.

"What is he doing?" he whispers.

"His mind is a computer. A scary ass computer, but a computer none the less. He has a photographic memory and- -"

"Eidetic," Reid mumbles.

Morgan rolls his eyes. "Excuse me. He has an eidetic memory so he'll remember what he's read and eventually he will put it together for us. Hopefully it will be something from the unsub not from Eddie."

"Hopefully," Lindall agrees.

The agents and bomb tech get in an SUV for the drive back to Lexington as the state troopers who had helped Rossi and Reid get back to their regular patrol.

* * *

JJ had spent the afternoon digging into all the information looking for anything that connected back to Orangeburg. After 4 hours she stands and starts to pace.

"Orangeburg has to be the connection! It has to be! Think, Prentiss, THINK! What are you not seeing? What are you not putting together?"

"Jayje? How badly are you stressing?"

JJ drops back down into a seat and looks at her best friend. "More than I should but not enough to harm the nesters. Promise," she adds while rubbing her stomach.

"Good. I'm at a loss. I don't know what to refine to help you guys. I can't figure out other searches to try. I feel helpless."

"Join the club. Unfortunately it's often like this with bombers because the mission is all in their head. This guy hasn't contacted police or media. He has no desire to taunt officials. He isn't reaching out to terrify the public. It's like this is…is personal and yet there is nothing personal connecting any of the victims!"

"Except the adoptions," Garcia points out innocently.

JJ slowly sits up, staring at her best friend. "The adoptions…" her voice trails off. She jumps up and races around the table to a stack on the other side.

Garcia sits up, getting excited by JJ's eagerness. "What? What did I say?"

"The adoptions! All the victims were adopted!" She starts to read over several reports. "They were all adopted but none of them ever adopted kids of their own! Never even fostered kids!"

Garcia shrugs. "Yeah? So?"

"What if our bomber is also an orphan but never got adopted. He's looking at successful heads of businesses or business owners who were given a chance he wasn't and then didn't turn around and reach out to other orphans. That's why he uses toys as the bomb delivery method!"

Garcia is completely baffled. "JJ, I can see you are sure about this but I have no idea how you came to this conclusion."

"Kids in orphanages don't have their own toys. They are community property. Now maybe a kid gets fostered and returns with a teddy bear or something but even then they have to worry about older kids taking it from them."

"But if he had been adopted, given a home and a family like they had, maybe he would have had a better life. So you're saying he's pissed at his life so he's sending bombs disguised as toys to those he felt could have given him a better life?"

"That's my thought," JJ confirms. "I need information on orphanages or group homes in Orangeburg."

Garcia leaps up, JJ's excitement contagious. "Will get on it now!"

As Garcia hurries out JJ pulls out her phone.

"Hotch! I think I finally get what's going on." She lays out her theory. "Garcia is checking Orangeburg now for places where the unsub may have grown up."

Hotch is very impressed. "Well thought out, JJ. Run with it and see what happens. If you need more help with the files let me know. If Emily is up for assisting you split the files up with her."

"Will do. And, Hotch, thanks for not ordering me to get her to help," she adds appreciatively.

Hotch smiles. "Goodness knows we could use her help especially since Morgan found some sort of cryptogram at the Stanford place that Reid is working on. But I also know she needs to rest to get better sooner. I figure tomorrow she'll be pestering both of us to let her help so maybe you can save our sanity by making the offer sooner."

JJ laughs. "Ah, so it was self-preservation not care and concern driving you."

"Exactly. And, Jareau, it's after 6. Go home. Garcia can email you what she finds so you can work on it after you get your kids to bed."

"Thanks, Hotch. I think I will do just that. You all be careful. If the unsub knows you've found Stanford's place he may be targeting you next no matter who his initial targets might be."

"Trust me, we know. Talk to you later, JJ."

"Night, Hotch."

JJ gets with Garcia and let's her know she is heading home. As she gets into the Lexus JJ takes a deep breath.

_"Okay, Agent Jareau, turn it off for a while and become Mommy Prentiss for a couple hours,"_ she thinks to herself.

Letting her breath out slowly she turns on the car and heads home to spend some time with the two cutest kids in the world.


	9. Chapter 9

"Hi, Agent Gimpy."

Emily groans. "I had SO hoped you'd forgotten that nickname."

JJ giggles. "Nope. Just kinda hoping I wouldn't have to use it again. Ever."

"Me, too," Emily agrees.

"So how does it feel?"

"It is throbbing. Pain pill they gave me at the hospital wore off. Icing right now but didn't want to take another pill until after I talked to you."

"But you will take one?" JJ presses.

"Yes, baby, I will. If I don't I won't sleep tonight."

"What about those holes? Is there anyway to, I don't know, fill them in or something?"

Emily chuckles. "Afraid not. They look bad in the picture because of the swelling but are really just flesh wounds. They'll fill in and heal like a scratch would."

JJ grunts. "Hmph. Most scratches aren't caused by bear traps. Are we sure the unsub placed those?"

"We are now. Team that went out into the woods to collect them found them ringing the property. Looks like he set them so if the place was raided he'd take a few cops out. He showed Eddie where they were so he could avoid them," Emily explains.

"I thought he was mentally challenged?"

Emily sighs. "He is to a degree but in other ways he's advanced. He seems to have a near eidetic memory and he knows sign language better than the police translator that came in to help us. The priest that taught him even said he had to study harder to keep up with Eddie's desire to learn."

"So this poor guy was easily manipulated. Are we sure he doesn't know about the bombs?" JJ wonders.

"I am," Emily confirms. "I think some of the locals would be happy tagging him as the bomber and being done with it but we have convinced them that if they do that 4 more places will be bombed."

"And who knows how many will die," JJ says sadly. "Ugh! Turn it off! Both of us!"

Emily grins. "You're right. Turn it off and go at it fresh in the morning," Emily agrees. "So Henry tells me he wants to paint his brother's room."

JJ starts to laugh. "Oh really? That's news to me."

"Yep. Said he is going to help his Uncle Morgan paint his brother's room and Rocky can paint their sister's room."

JJ shakes her head. "I shudder to think what the walls and floor would look like by the time they finished. Not to mention what they and Morgan would like by the end. Is Morgan on board?"

"Haven't asked him. Figured I'd let Henry ask. He'll give Morgan the Big Blue Eyes treatment and the Big Bad Agent won't stand a chance."

JJ laughs again. "Very true. Remind me to have video rolling when this goes down."

"Deal!" Emily takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

"Stop it, Emily."

"Stop what?"

"That was you're 'it's my fault the team is short agents' sigh. It was right that I stayed back and it's not your fault you stepped in a freaking bear trap," JJ points out. "Your mind still works and that will help the team as much as your body."

"Maybe. Reid sent me a copy of a cryptic note found at Eddie's house. I tried to puzzle it out but the meds messed with my head."

"Emily Elizabeth Prentiss, your mind is dulled by meds like anyone's would be. That doesn't mean your mind is permanently out of commission for the case. Take a pill tonight, get a good night's sleep, and tomorrow use ice and Aleve so you can be our EmiReid translator and help Spence solve the puzzle."

Emily grins and sighs, happily this time. "Thank you, Jen. I think I was slipping into a bit of a pity party."

"No problem, honey. I'd say you earned a short one. It's my job to keep the party as short as possible."

"Then you succeeded swimmingly, baby. So, shit, we're back to the case again. Tell me about…shit…anything, honey. Please."

JJ smiles and settles back against the pillows on the bed. "The twins freaked out Rocky tonight."

Emily grins. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yep. Team aerobics had my stomach stretching all sorts of ways. She's convinced I ate them and there is nothing I can say to make her believe otherwise."

"Is she worried she and Ree are next?"

JJ laughs. "She might be. She keeps giving me your wary stare. Henry has come to my defense but I have a feeling she won't fully trust me around a knife and fork until the twins are born."

Emily laughs. "Oh, that's priceless. Tell her I'll protect her even from afar."

"I will. She'll be glad to hear it."

The two chat about the kids for another thirty minutes until Emily can't take the throbbing in her ankle any longer. JJ hears the pain.

"I think it's time for Agent Sexy to take a pain pill."

"What do you need a pain pill for?" Emily asks.

JJ grins. "Charmer."

"Always. Not even a bear trap can snap that out of me."

"Good to know. So, take your pill and get some sleep. I love you, Em."

"I love you, too. I miss you so much."

"Same here. But this is the safest place for me and the nesters to be…despite what Rocky thinks."

Emily grins. "Right. Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Night, baby."

Emily reluctantly hangs up. She slowly sits up and grabs her crutches. After brushing her teeth and getting in bed she sets the alarm. Just in case she sleeps through it Morgan will check on her in the morning and rewrap her ankle after she showers. She smiles. Though she would prefer JJ was the one taking care of her she can't help but feel the love for her best friend who is stepping in for her wife. Soon the pill takes affect and Emily is fast asleep.

* * *

Darryl Holmgren paces in irritation. How the hell had the Feds found Eddie's place so quickly? Or any of the people he had used to stock up on ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

"Stupid fucking bastards! How the FUCK did they find my base? I'll fucking kill them!"

He paces in frustration. He has 4 targets left. Each target has 3 bombs assigned to them. He turns to the table where they sit like presents from Santa. He walks over and stares at each of them, picturing the places where he will place them. Initial explosion, the second close enough to be activated by the gas fire of the first explosion, the third to block the main entry activated by the gas plumes from the second. It was perfection.

"Perfection," he says softly as his hand caresses one bomb. He takes a deep breath. Target 3 is the smallest office. "Maybe just 2 bombs will be enough. Maybe."

He lifts the box that would hold the third explosion. Time to reconfigure it to explode upon opening. Time to show the cops they can't stop him. He will not stop until he has finished avenging others like him who were forgotten by his equals.

"It's their fault," he justifies to himself once more as he contemplates his victims. "They should have done more to help those of us like them. They didn't! They were selfish and didn't bother trying to reach out. It's their fault. And the FBI is going to learn that sometimes laws have to be ignored when people deserve to die. Oh, yes, they will learn that tomorrow."

* * *

Reid groans as his phone rings. He glances at the clock and sees it is only 4:32 a.m. He grabs it.

"What?" he mumbles.

"It's case files not a cryptogram!" Emily says excitedly.

Reid frowns and sits up. "The numbers?"

"Yes! Case files of some sort. Official state files! Garcia can hack them!"

Reid scrambles out of bed and hurries over to the desk. He grabs his copy of the paper even though he can see it perfectly in his mind. He reads them with his thoughts on them being case files instead of names or target locations. He smiles.

"Yes! I'll send an email to Garcia. Great work, Em!"

"Thanks, Ferdinand. I'll talk to you on the boat tomorrow," the doped up Prentiss mumbles as she quickly falls deeper into sleep.

Reid stares at his phone as it goes dead. "Ferdinand? Boat? What the heck?" He shrugs it off and sits down to send an email for Garcia to search the numbers first thing in the morning. If Emily is right they may finally be able to tie all the victims together by more than just their cause of death.


	10. Chapter 10

When the team gets to the conference room at the police station they find Reid already at work.

"What do you have, Reid?"

"Emily realized we were overthinking that note. It wasn't a cryptogram but instead state case file numbers."

Emily frowns. "What do you mean I realized that? What are you talking about?"

Everyone looks at the baffled agent. Reid grins. "About 4:30 this morning you called me with your brainstorm, called me Ferdinand, then said you'd see me on the boat today. You don't remember?"

Emily thinks a moment then shakes her head. "No clue what you're talking about." She pulls out her phone and frowns when she scrolls to placed calls and sees Reid's number at 4:32 a.m. "What the hell?"

The team starts to chuckle. Morgan claps her on the back. "Those are some pain pills you got there, Princess."

"I guess so. Damn. But I was right?" Reid nods. "So what does my brainstorm mean for us, Ferdinand?"

The team chuckles as Reid shares the findings.

"Garcia checked and the numbers were adoption files. She did things she says we don't want to know about to come up with 4 names."

"Business owners?" Rossi asks.

"Three own their business, the fourth runs a successful extermination business," Reid replies.

Hotch looks up at the murder boards. "All the attacks included heads of businesses who were adopted. So why is this guy pissed at them?"

"Because he wasn't?" Morgan suggests. "Maybe he aged out of the system and is upset these people had a chance at families and a life he didn't get."

Rossi frowns, remembering a chat he had with Garcia the day before. "Or it could be deeper than that. We need to find out if any of these people tried to adopt children or even to foster them. Maybe his bitterness stems from the fact that they made something of themselves and didn't offer kids like they were another chance. It goes back to what JJ pointed out to Garcia about kids in the system: they don't have their own toys. He kills them with toys they could have bought him if they had adopted him."

"Sounds utterly sick and scarily correct," Emily says. "My drug induced brainstorms are amazing."

Hotch smiles. "We need to reach out to these four individuals and their businesses. We are- -"

"Agent Hotchner?" The team turns to see Lindall in the doorway. "We have clearance to get into the latest bomb site. I'm meeting Bethune out there and thought Morgan may want to come."

Hotch looks at Morgan and nods. "Very good. Morgan, go and see what we can add to the profile."

Morgan nods and follows Lindall out of the office. Hotch turns back to his team. "Reid, Prentiss, start calling the people on the list. Tell them Rossi and I need to see their businesses ASAP along with their security tapes for the last week."

Reid nods. "On it."

"If we need help in the field, Reid, meet up with Morgan. Prentiss- -"

"I know, I know…leave the station and my ass is grass. Got it, sir."

Hotch grins. "Actually I was going to say I'll tell your wife. But either way."

"Even worse. I'll get with Garcia to see if she has figured out who accessed all those files and when."

The team grins and gets to work. Today could be the day they stop a madman on a mission.

* * *

Bethune points at the badly charred area where the sales counter used to be. "We have initial ignition here." He points to the floor. "It looks like it ignited a person, probably with gel again in the packing materials. That person stumbled here and set off the second blast, which also killed the customer that was in here. Boxes fell towards the door and set off the final blast that blocked the exit, forcing the last 2 employees to race through the flames. "

Lindall shakes his head. "Son of a bitch. Surprised anyone lived."

"They didn't," Bethune states.

"What?" Morgan asks.

"The two men that got out died from their wounds. They never regained consciousness. Second one died overnight."

"Shit," Morgan mutters. "I had hoped they would live if only to minimize the kills for this bastard."

"What was the toy?" Bethune asks.

"From what I could find a Nerf gun. Figure guy fired a dart and boom," Lindall says. "Most of the gun is gone. Just got lucky that one piece that didn't incinerate had the manufacturer information on it."

Morgan shakes his head. "Five men dead for nothing. This guy knows by now we found Stanford's place. He is going to want to race us to the finish line."

"Please tell me you can beat him," Bethune pleads.

"We have a couple of solid leads as to who his next victims are. Hotch and Rossi are speaking with them and looking over their businesses, including security tapes."

"You know, there's something else we have to think about," Lindall states. The other two men look at him. "The bastard turned off the water to the sprinklers. Any chance he left fingerprints?"

Morgan pulls up the case files on his tablet. "I don't see that anyone took prints on the pipes or the cut offs at any location."

Lindall grins. "Got a print kit in my van."

"Then let's get the prints. Maybe this fuck is in the system!" Bethune enthuses.

Morgan nods. "Let's do it and we all sign the paperwork. No technicalities on the chain of evidence that gets shit thrown out."

The three investigators agree and Lindall hurries out to his van to get his forensic kit.

* * *

Rossi and Hotch stare at the stunned man across the desk. He looks to the pictures of his family and back at the agents.

"So…you think because I didn't adopt a child he's targeting me?"

Rossi nods. "It's the theory we are working with right now and, unfortunately, it is most likely the correct one. You, the victims and others found on a list the unsub lost are all adopted children who have made successes of themselves but did not adopt children once they started their families."

The man shakes his head. "That's…that's…insane!"

"It only needs to make sense to the disturbed mind behind the bombings," Hotch explains. "We need to get a look at your security footage and we need to check your water cut offs. The one to the sprinkler may be tampered with."

The man nods nervously. "Of course. Whatever you need to see and do."

An hour and a half later the agents leave the man's business. New locks have been installed on his water cut offs and he and his staff will carefully watch anyone who enters with a package.

In the car, Rossi punches in the next address on the GPS. "I hope to hell we aren't driving around terrifying people for no good reason."

Hotch shrugs. "It was a target list, Dave. You know that. We just haven't found who is next in the unsub's mind. All we can do is start at the top and work our way down. He didn't exactly number them for us."

Rossi gives him a grim grin. "Maybe someday one of these assholes will leave us a clue easier to use."

Hotch chuckles and pulls out into traffic. "Don't hold your breath."

Rossi just nods in agreement and starts to read the bio of the second victim off the adoption file lists.

* * *

Emily is in the middle of reading over the background of a potential victim when someone knocks on the conference room door. She looks up and smiles.

"Hi, Eddie," she says. He signs hello with a big smile. Emily looks at the other man. "You must be Father McGarvey."

The man nods. "Yes, I am. Eddie remembered something this morning and insisted he had to come tell you."

Emily gestures to the chairs beyond the one her foot rests on. "Have a seat. What did you remember, Eddie?" Eddie sits down and starts to sign rapidly. Emily holds up her hand. "Whoa, buddy. Not that fast, remember?" she pleads with a smile.

Eddie grins and slows down.

"The. Bad. Man. Said. I. Was. Lucky. To. Have. Been. Too. Old. For. The. System." Emily translates. She thinks a second. "The foster system?" Eddie nods. "So, your parents, uh, passed after you were 18?" Eddie nods. "That is great information, Eddie. It helps us narrow in on the bad man if he was in the foster care system."

Eddie smiles proudly at the priest. The man pats him on the shoulder. "Good job, Eddie." He looks back at Emily. "Um, any idea when Eddie can go home. I love having him visit but he misses his home, his belongings. They help center him in a way my home doesn't."

Emily exchanges a quick look with Reid. "Uh, I don't know. Let me call my boss and see if he can give me an idea of when the homestead will be released. Until then, maybe you'd like to get something out of the vending machine, Eddie? My treat since you did so good."

Eddie smiles and nods excitedly. Emily grabs her purse and pulls out a couple of dollars. She hands them to Eddie and the two civilians go out to track down a treat. Emily looks at Reid.

"What are the chances they will release that place before we have the suspect in custody?"

"Slim to none," Reid replies.

Emily runs a hand through her hair. "Damn it."

She grabs her phone and calls Hotch, hoping for a miracle.

* * *

"Right this way, Mr. Hill. Officer Tangery can take your report, sir. She will be with you soon."

Darryl Holmgren smiles. "Thank you, Officer."

He takes a seat at a desk with a perfect sightline into the conference room. He sees two agents hard at work trying to draw lines towards him. He smiles. Two agents would die this morning. Too bad it wouldn't be the whole team.

He casually stands and walks over to the water cooler and helps himself to a cup of water. While walking back he places a paper bag containing his bomb on the desk closest to the conference room before walking back over to Officer Tangery's desk. Just as she sits down to take his false report, he stiffens.

"Eddie," he mutters.

"I'm sorry, sir?" Tangery asks as she opens a file on her computer.

Holmgren stands, acting nervous. "I'm sorry. I can't do this. I…need to try to…stop this without the police first."

"Wait! Sir, we can help!" Tangery hollers as Holmgren hurries to the exit. She sighs and shakes her head. "I hate when they don't ask for help," she mutters and closes the file on her computer.

Eddie sees Holmgren and starts to get agitated. He races back to Father McGarvey, who is getting a soda out of the machine. The priest looks at his charge, as the child-like man starts to sign rapidly in fear.

"The bad man is here?" the priest asks. Eddie nods and signs Yes over and over again. The priest runs towards the conference room. "AGENTS! HE'S HERE!"

All eyes turn to the screaming man, including Tangery's. Emily grabs her crutches as Reid races out of the conference room. The two agents scan the area for civilians as McGarvey and Eddie run up to them.

"Where is he, Eddie?" Emily asks.

McGarvey watches the rapid signing. "He was at that desk with her then ran to the door when he saw me," he translates.

Tangery's eyes widen. "Oh my God! His name is Hill. He was here to file a vandalism complaint against some neighborhood kids. He said he had to try to handle it himself first."

Reid and Tangery race for the parking lot as Emily hurries to the front desk to get security tapes pulled. She comes to a stop when the priest yells after her.

"AGENT PRENTISS! WAIT!" McGarvey yells, staring at Eddie. The man pales and turns to look at a gift bag on a nearby desk. "Uh, Eddie thinks that's a bomb."

Emily's eyes go to the bag and she swallows. "He's sure?"

McGarvey nods. "Said it is one of the special bags he had to buy for the boom boxes."

Emily glances at the wall. She sees the fire alarm box and uses a crutch to break the glass, immediately setting off the klaxon to evacuate the building.

"Let's get everyone the fuck out of here," she states, her eyes never leaving the bag until the room is clear. She then follows everyone outside.

Reid jogs up to her. "I called Hotch and told him what's going on. I also called Garcia to see if she can pull their security tapes."

Emily nods. "Good job, Reid. Eddie thinks there is a bomb on a desk outside the conference room." She looks back at the building and shakes her head. "Sometimes I fucking hate being right," she mutters, reflecting on her argument with JJ before the team had left Quantico.


	11. Chapter 11

Lindall had managed to pull 3 partial prints off the water cut off at the latest bomb scene. He, Morgan and Bethune sign off on the chain of custody documents. Morgan shakes his head.

"Let's hope this guy was crazy enough to leave a print."

"What are the odds of that?" Bethune asks.

Morgan sighs. "Depends. So far he has been meticulous which doesn't bode well for us. But if he has slipped far enough into his delusion to believe he is doing the right thing he'll be more careless about leaving prints."

Bethune sighs. "So this isn't that magical piece of evidence they find on TV shows."

"Maybe, maybe not," Morgan hedges. "Let's get it to the lab and- -hold on a second. He grabs his phone. "Please don't tell me we have another scene, Rossi."

"Almost. He showed up at the police station."

"FUCK! Are Reid and Prentiss okay?"

"They are fine. Luckily Eddie had showed up and recognized him. He fled before Eddie could point him out. Garcia is pulling security footage and running him through facial recognition."

"Damn."

"Gets worse. He left a package behind and they are sure it's a bomb. You and Lindall want to check it out?"

"Not particularly," Morgan admits. "But we'll be there in less than 10 minutes."

"See you on scene."

Morgan hangs up as Lindall hangs up his own phone. The men stare silently at each other. Bethune frowns.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Probable bomb at the police station," Morgan states.

"Holy fuck."

"Think it will be a toy again?" Lindall asks.

Morgan shakes his head. "No. He was taking this where people would know better than to play with a toy. It's probably rigged to blow immediately. He wanted to hurt the investigation."

"Sounds fun. So what's the plan?" Bethune asks.

Morgan turns to Lindall. "It will be your scene but I'd like to go in with you. I want to profile the package for my team and I can help you figure out if we can disarm it to study it or if we just need to dispose of it by detonation."

Lindall nods. "Sounds good to me. Hope your bomb squad skills aren't rusty."

Morgan grins. "Guess we'll find out soon. Let's go."

Bethune says a prayer under his breath and crosses himself as he follows the men to their vehicle.

* * *

Hotch and Rossi approach Reid and Emily. "Report," he orders.

"Everyone is out of the building," Emily states. "We've established a perimeter two blocks away on all sides."

"Good. Morgan is on his way back with Lindall. My guess is the two of them will be going in to check it out. Any idea what's inside?"

Emily shrugs. "Eddie said he was told to buy a bunch of gift bags for what was called boom boxes."

"I can bet he didn't mean a large radio," Rossi notes dryly.

Emily shakes his head. "Far from. He told Eddie the boxes he was testing out are called boom boxes and that they make life better by killing parasites."

"Lovely," Hotch mutters. "There's Morgan. Let me go talk to him and we'll get this place defused. Rossi, take Reid and go continue warning people on the hit list."

"You sure?"

"Definitely. He wanted to cause death and destruction here and we've not only started to track him down but we stopped him from killing to delay us. He will strike again soon. Get to those people, Dave. Hurry."

Rossi nods and hurries off to grab Reid and head to the next potential victim on the list.

* * *

Morgan accepts the protective gear Lindall offers him. He sighs. "Of course if that thing has the flammable gel in there these won't do a damn thing if we get sprayed with it."

"No shit," Lindall mutters fatalistically.

Morgan looks up as Hotch walks up. "Infiltration plan?"

"Don't know yet," Morgan admits. "We need to know where the thing is and what we're looking at in the way of obstacles and potential secondary devices."

"Garcia and JJ are reviewing the security footage for shots of the suspect. Get with them and get a copy onto my tablet. It will help you plan your entry. Prentiss can fill in anything she saw firsthand. And Morgan?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

Morgan grins. "Aw, Hotch, I knew you loved me."

Hotch rolls his eyes and goes to speak with the watch captain to make sure everything they need is in place. The last thing they need is someone getting in the way should Morgan and Lindall decide they need to remove the bomb from the building. He is glad to see Lindall's boss already speaking to the captain. He takes a deep breath as he gets a text from JJ.

"Glad you stayed behind, Jareau. And damn I wish I had thought of it," he mumbles as he opens the text.

_"Have 3 good shots of the suspect. Garcia is sure we will have a match within the hour. Anything to speed it up?"_

Hotch thinks a second. "_Have her add a filter for anyone who was in foster care." _He hits send. Garcia probably already had that thought but better safe than sorry. He walks up to the two officials. "So, what's the word?"

* * *

Thirty minutes later Morgan carefully slices down two sides of the gift bag and peels them down out of the way without moving the bomb. He steps back and Lindall steps up with a portable x-ray machine. He scans the package and lets out a low whistle.

"Cutting the tape and popping the box top open would have pulled a cap and set this damn thing off," he tells Morgan.

"Shit," Morgan mutters. See any way to disarm it?"

Lindall shakes his head. "Not yet." He steps to the side and starts to scan the package from another angle.

Morgan keys his mic. "Hotch, looks like opening this thing will pull the cap and set it off. Lindall's scanning another angle but I don't think we'll be able to study a complete bomb from this guy."

"Not surprising," Hotch responds back. "This guy is too meticulous." Suddenly his eyes get wide. He turns to Emily. "Call Garcia. Have her check juvenile records, both open and sealed, for foster kids charged with bomb making, arson, or other mischief."

Emily rolls her eyes. "We're idiots," she groans as she calls Garcia and gets her started on this new search.

Back in the police station Lindall finishes scanning the 5 visible sides of the box. He looks at Morgan.

"Based on what I see on top and on the sides, we have to blow this damn thing. I really wanted to study it but it's just not safe."

Morgan nods. "Thought so."

"Let's head outside and get Rudy."

"Rudy?" Morgan asks, an eyebrow up.

Lindall smiles. "He's my retriever. He'll lift this thing up remotely and put it in a blast proof box."

"Ah, okay. Why Rudy?"

"He's small, gets the job done, and is a hero," Lindall says with a smile.

Morgan chuckles. "So he really is named after the Notre Dame player."

The men start out of the station. "Damn right he is. Saw Rudy speak in college. Man is incredible. One day on a scene I just started calling my 'bot Rudy. I didn't blow up anything other than a device that day so the name stuck."

Morgan grins. "Works for me."

* * *

JJ is scanning information nearly as fast as Garcia. "Come on, bastard, where are you? No way you've gone this long without having some sort of damn blemish on your record. So where the fuck are you?"

She starts as three files pop up on her screen.

"Okay, so three kids in foster care in the last 20 years have had arrests under these parameters," she whispers to herself as she begins to read the police reports. "Right age range, right sort of crimes. So what else are you?"

She types in the three names in another search to pull up any and all information she can on these men. She hits send to print them out as well as email them to the Hotch and Emily.

"Please let one of these guys be the bastard we're looking for. My wife was scary as shit right today and we all know the fact that his plans were screwed mean he is going to even angrier at the world. Please, God, help us find him before more people die. Please," she prays under her breath as she reads and types.

"JAYJE!" Garcia hollers as she bursts into the conference room. "I have a name!"

JJ looks up in excitement. "What is it?"

"Darryl Holmgren."

JJ looks back at her screen and frowns. "No Holmgren but I do have a Darryl Cline." She types a bit. "Aha, changed his name when he turned 19. Wanted a fresh start and to leave his childhood indiscretions behind."

"Dare I ask what those indiscretions were?"

"Arson, vandalism using fire, using fireworks to blow up mail boxes, pretty much anything you can think of using flames or homemade bombs of all sizes," JJ replies.

"Bingo! It's him!"

JJ grabs her phone. "Damn right it is. Hotch, we got him!"

* * *

Hotch steps to the captain and gives him Holmgren's name and automobile make and model. "Get an APB out and is there a chance we can get officers to drive by the businesses from the hit list?"

The captain nods. "Done. That motherfucker could have killed half my officers with that fucking bomb. Whatever you want you get, Hotch."

Hotch nods grimly. "Thank you." He walks back over to Emily. "Where are they?"

"Just maneuvered the robot into the building. I think Morgan may ask requisitions for a new toy," she says with a grin.

Hotch manages a chuckle. "We still haven't paid of the SUV he wrecked while you were on desk duty after Rocky was born."

Emily laughs. After a second she sobers. "So we know him. What are the chances he is still in his car?"

"Slim to none. We have an address. Morgan can handle things here. Up for ride? Search warrant should be waiting for us."

Emily nods. "Let's do it."

Since she had abandoned her briefcase in the police station, she borrows a couple pairs of gloves from one of the officers using his cruiser to keep people away from the building. She hobbles over to the SUV and starts to get in.

"Agent Prentiss?"

She turns to see Father McGarvey and Eddie, who is clearly agitated. She sighs sympathetically. "Yes, Father?"

"Are we safe to return to my house? Or the church?"

She thinks a second then shakes her head. "Probably not. If he fled because he saw Eddie he could go after you two next. Is there someplace you can go? Someplace he doesn't know about?"

McGarvey thinks a second before nodding. "My brother has a place at Myrtle Beach."

"Good. Get an officer to escort you to your home to get clothes and plan to spend a few days down there. I will call you personally when it is safe to come home."

He nods. "Thanks, Agent Prentiss." He turns to Eddie and smiles, not showing the man his concerns. "I have a great idea, Eddie. Remember how you wanted to see the beach again?" Eddie nods. "You have been so good how about I take you to the beach." Eddie smiles and nods, signing something. McGarvey smiles kindly and nods. "We can build as many sandcastles as you want."

Eddie is so excited he claps for joy. Emily smiles, glad to see he is already calming. "Have fun, Eddie."

He hurries over and gives her a big hug. He steps back and signs to her. She smiles and signs back, speaking as she does. "I love you, too."

She watches as the priest speaks with the police captain to arrange security for his trip home before climbing into the SUV. Hotch is already waiting for her.

"Eddie looks happy," he states in confusion.

"McGarvey is taking him to the beach in case Holmgren tries to find them at home or at the church."

"Good idea. Rossi and Reid are on their way to the next person on the list. Let's hope to hell we are still ahead of this guy."

Emily just nods as Hotch puts on lights and sirens and drives out of the police station lot.

* * *

Morgan watches as Lindall expertly drives the remote controlled robot into the building. Both men hold their breath as the device's arm carefully lifts the package off the desk and slowly deposits it into the blast box.

Morgan lets out his breath as the lid is sealed shut. "Nice job, man."

Lindall just nods and starts to guide "Rudy" out of the building. It is slow going as he drives it to an area of the parking lot Bethune had cordoned off based on blast patterns found at the bomb sites. Firefighters are on standby as are EMT's in case Holmgren has added anything to this particular bomb. Morgan can't help but think of the shrapnel laden bombs the team had faced while saving lives at the U.S. Capital.

Lindall guides Rudy into the center of the safety circle. He carefully opens the blast box. He nods to Morgan, who holds a police walkie talkie.

"Prepare for detonation," Morgan radios.

"Copy," the police captain and fire chief both reply.

Morgan nods at Lindall. The bomb tech manipulates the robotic arm and a moment later the package explodes, sending flaming gel straight up in the air thanks to the blast box.

"FUCK!" Lindall screams as the gel falls down onto Rudy before he can get the robot away.

Two firefighters race forward, extinguishers spraying the robot with flame-suffocating foam. They then turn towards the blast box and extinguish the flames within. Morgan can't help but grin: they had acted to save the robot first as if he were a living member of their team. Lindall backs the robot away and then races forward once the firefighters call the scene clear. Morgan is right behind him. Lindall starts to wipe the foam off his "partner".

"Come on, Rudy, tell me you're okay, buddy."

Morgan kneels down and helps him get it wiped off. He smiles. "What's the verdict?"

Lindall sighs in relief. "Some smoke damage, maybe a few melted wires but he's going to be fine."

Morgan pats the man on the shoulder. "Good. You got a heck of a partner there."

Lindall chuckles. "I know it may seem crazy but, well, he and I have been through some shit, you know?"

"I get it, man. Trust me."

* * *

Hotch stares at the broken down house and lifts an eyebrow. "What do you want to bet he doesn't live here anymore?"

"Normally I don't take sucker bets but since you're my boss I might have to," Emily jibes.

Hotch pulls out his phone. "Garcia, the address for Holmgren is a house that hasn't seen life in years. Find out where he really is living."

Garcia frowns and starts to type. She shakes her head. "Nothing, sir. No utility bills, no credit cards, nothing."

Emily groans and rolls her eyes. "He's off the grid! Hotch, he was using Eddie's place to make the bombs, had fertilizer delivered to mental cases or widows, he doesn't live here. He doesn't live anywhere that someone could trace him."

Hotch slams his hand against the steering wheel. "Garcia, get with JJ. Find out where this guy is hiding."

"Uh, how do we do that, sir?"

"Geo profiling. JJ can help you with it. Find him, Garcia. Lives depend on it."

"Oh, gee, sir, no pressure or anything. Garcia out."

Hotch stares at the house a second. "I want to look through it anyway. This place had to have meant something to him at some point in his life."

Emily nods. "I agree. I can probably manage with just one crutch and- -"

"Forget it. When the police get here with the warrant they will go in with me. That place looks unstable and one crutch or not you won't be able to move quickly if the ceiling falls in or something."

"Shit." She thinks a second. "Skype me."

"Do what?"

Emily grins. "Like you do with Jack when you're on the road. Only this time you'll Skype from your phone to my phone. I can help you look the place over."

Hotch chuckles. "Might just work. Get it set up," he says handing her his phone.

Ten minutes later Emily is thanking her lucky stars she is not inside that house. Layers of dust are disturbed by detritus that looks to be from teenagers: fast food bags, energy drink cans, beer cans. If the house had ever meant something to Holmgren it is obvious he has not been back in a long, long time.

"Another fucking wild goose chase," Emily mumbles.

"I agree," Hotch replies, having heard her disgruntled remark.

To be thorough he checks every room. Finally in the closet of what used to be the master bedroom he finds a shoebox tucked in the far back corner of the shelf above the clothes bar. He takes it over near a window to use the waning afternoon light to help him see what it contains. He sets his phone down (frustrating Emily) and eases the top off the box.

"Pictures. Old ones," he relays to his agent. "Could be him as a kid. We'll scan them and get them to Garcia for facial comparisons."

He puts the lid back on and looks around the room. Could this have been where he became bitter about his lot in life? Or was that bitterness already stewing and the loss of this house was the final straw? Shaking his head, he walks out of the room. He looks at the two police officers and hands one the box.

"Tag that as evidence, have the photos scanned in and sent to our analyst at Quantico. Your lab has her information."

"Yes, sir," the female officer says as she starts to write up a chain of evidence form.

Hotch nods. "Now, let's get out of here before whatever that is scurrying around in the attic decides to come down and see if we're edible or not."

The police officers chuckle and follow him out of the house.

* * *

Rossi and Reid are approaching the last store on the hit list. Reid glances at Rossi.

"What happens if we take away all of his targets? The last store is closing until further notice. What if they all do the same thing and take away Holmgren's targets?"

Rossi shrugs. "No idea. He'll be desperate to complete his mission. He may go after them at home or may go after other targets."

Reid stops and stares at Rossi. "Like social services? Foster homes? Orphanages?"

Rossi's eyes widen. "Holy shit. Get in there and start talking to the store owner. I'll call Garcia and have her connect with Morgan to start tracking down anyone that Holmgren may blame for his lot in life."

Reid nods and walks into the jewelry store. He pulls out his credentials as he approaches the counter. The woman behind it smiles at him.

"Let me guess? Looking for a ring for your girl?"

Reid blushes. "Uh, no. No. Um, I'm Dr. Spencer Reid with the FBI. You're Annabeth Polevitsky?"

The woman stares at the credentials and nods. "Yes. But I promise everything here is legitimate."

Reid nods. "I know. Your name came up in the course of an investigation. Are you aware of the bombings here in Lexington?"

The woman pales. "Y- - Yes?"

Reid winces. "There is no easy way to say this but your name was found on a list of potential targets. It seems like the suspect is targeting people who were adopted who became successful but did not adopt when they started their families."

Annabeth frowns. "But…but we tried! My husband has a medical condition that precluded us from adopting! I swear to you, Agent Reid, if we could have adopted we would have!"

"BULLSHIT!"

Reid spins around and stares into a gun held by Darryl Holmgren. He slowly raises his hands, angling to stand in front of Annabeth.

"Darryl, you heard her: she wanted to adopt. She wanted to do the right thing."

"SHUT UP!" He moves to the door and turns the lock just as Rossi gets to it. The older agent's eyes widen as Holmgren drops the blinds. The mad bomber turns and smiles at his two captives. "Now we won't be disturbed. First of all, Annabeth, take the gun off the hip of the agent. FINGERTIPS ONLY!" he orders as she goes to take it in a way in which it would be easy to fire. "Now drop it on the ground and, Agent, kick it over to me.

Annabeth drops the gun and Reid reluctantly kicks it towards the man. Holmgren eases down and picks it up. He frowns at it.

"A revolver? Really?"

Reid shrugs, trying to establish rapport with the man. "It makes me feel more confident. I know a man like you can't understand that," he shrugs, giving an impish smile. "But look at me? I'm a 90 pound weakling compared to someone like you. I need all the help I can get."

Holmgren cocks the gun. "Insincerity pisses me off."

* * *

As soon as he saw Holmgren, Rossi called Morgan. "Are you still at the precinct?"

"Yeah. We were just about to- -"

"Forget it! Get reinforcements and get to Empress Jewelers. Holmgren is here and has Reid and anyone in the store hostage."

"Holy shit! We're on our way. I'll call Hotch."

"Good. I'll call Garcia and see if she can tap into- -"

Rossi's voice breaks off as a gunshot sounds from the jewelry store. Another a second later causes him to take some steps towards the large window at the front of the store. Before he gets there, the security blind is dropped on that one, too. He swallows.

"Morgan, two shots fired. I…I don't know…what's happened to Reid."


	12. Chapter 12

Rossi is pacing impatiently while Garcia tries to tap into the security system.

"Damn it! Good news is it looks like he shot out two of the cameras. He missed 2 others, my guess is they are camouflaged," Garcia reports.

"So Reid is okay?" Rossi confirms with agitation lacing his voice.

"Yes. Annabeth is using clear packing tape to secure his wrists together in front of his body."

"Oh, Spence," JJ whispers as she watches the security feed.

"Do we have sound?"

"No, sir," Garcia replies in frustration.

"What's he doing?"

JJ leans towards the speaker phone. "Holmgren is calm. He's talking to Reid. Reid looks to be building a relationship with him. Polevitsky looks terrified and- -FUCK! Garcia, rewind the feed on camera 3." Garcia immediately complies. She too sees the shadow. "Garcia, is there a camera in the office?" Garcia pulls up camera 5, which she had ignored while they were checking on Reid. "Rossi, there is a young woman in the office," JJ reports.

Garcia starts to tap on another computer. "Okay I have employees of the business, license photos, and the woman in the office is Leslie Tide, 24, been working there for 2 years."

"Does she have a cell phone?"

"Yes. Sending her info to you now."

"Good work, Garcia. You two keep an eye on Reid. Hotch and Morgan are pulling in. As soon as I know what we're doing here I'll call you back. If you see anything that can help us call me."

"On it, Rossi," JJ responds.

* * *

Holmgren gestures to the ground. "Sit."

Reid slowly lowers himself to the ground in front of the jewelry counter. "Is this okay?" he asks, giving Holmgren a greater sense of control.

"Of course," Holmgren says. The man is pacing, obviously trying to work out a way to get out of the store.

Reid is about to say something when he notices a box under a chair right near the front door. He looks around and sees a similar box nudged under the overhang from one of the jewelry counters and partially hidden by a planter. It is right near the register, most likely with the hope someone would be at the register when the third package arrives. He frowns and looks at the bag that Holmgren had set on the counter. He was either going to conceal 3 extra bombs here or he was hand-delivering the final package; the one that would ignite the store.

"Found them all, Agent?" Holmgren asks sarcastically.

Reid lifts his eyes to his captor. "I believe so. If you stick with 3 there is one under the chair by the door to ensure that exit is blocked. The other is near the office. Though on this side of the counter it could help block the exit out the back." He swallows. "And the third is in that bag on the counter."

Polevitsky gasps and takes a step away, as if that could protect her from the deadly present on her display counter.

Holmgren smiles. "Very good, Agent Reid. Tell me, are you adopted?"

"No, sir. My father abandoned my mother and me when I was a child. She raised me until…until she had to be committed."

Holmgren studies the man carefully. "So you ended up a foster kid?"

"No. I was 18. I just ended up…alone." Reid prays that will foster the connection he is trying to establish with the man.

Holmgren laughs. "I know that feeling. Of course I had been alone a long time because people LIKE HER," he swings the gun around towards Annabeth, "forgot what it was LIKE to be alone! Forgot what it was LIKE to PRAY for a family!"

"I didn't! I swear! I wanted to adopt but- -"

"SHUT UP!" He screams at her. She cowers as he stomps towards the counter. "Just. Shut. Up. You remember that from the homes, don't you? Foster kids just need to shut up and help the family get a check. That's it. Just a fucking check!"

Holmgren jumps when the phone starts to ring. He then resumes pacing when it stops. He glances at it as it begins to ring again.

"It's not a customer," Reid says.

Holmgren spins towards him. "What?"

"It's not a customer. It's my team. They will want to discuss how to end this peacefully without hurting anyone."

Holmgren laughs humorlessly. "Ain't no fucking way to do that, is there? This story ends with explosions and flame and at least that bitch dead," he nods towards Annabeth.

"If you kill her, they will storm in here and kill you."

He walks over and pulls the box out of the bag on the counter. "Then they will burn, too."

Reid shivers. He can't connect with this man, he can't get him to sympathize with the potential victims, he can't get him to see another way out other than the bombs. Holmgren had shot out the obvious cameras. Reid's eyes stray to the camera's he had seen disguised in the walls.

"He won't listen to me," he mouths. "I can't help you. I'm sorry."

Reid's head drops as he accepts all he can do is pray his team can figure out a way to reach the madman with the gun…and bombs.

* * *

Hotch throws his phone onto the seat of the SUV in frustration. He had now tried calling the store 3 times.

"Son of a bitch won't answer." He takes a deep breath. "Get me a megaphone."

Morgan goes to the back of the SUV and gets it out of the back. Hotch looks at Rossi.

"He may balk at talking to me."

Rossi nods. "Your authoritarian demeanor could be a bit off-putting to him," he says wryly.

"Exactly," Hotch acknowledges.

"Like the bank in Virginia? You're an ass and get removed from the scene?"

"Yep. Spring in the L.A. ruse and we can make sure he 'accidentally' hears my supervisor Morgan removing me."

"He'll talk to you, Hotch," Emily suddenly interjects.

Hotch turns to her. "Why?"

"In his mind he's still the little kid picked on by others, hated by his foster parents, abandoned by the world. As much as he hates people in authority he won't be able to handle directly confronting you. Make sure he understands you are in charge and no one else will work with him. Eventually he will have to do one of two things: Surrender…or go down in flames," she finishes soberly.

"You're right if he's stuck in his teenage years." Hotch considers what he knows about teen offenders and sees where Emily is getting her profile. "And this does seem to be an extended tantrum."

"But we haven't spoken with him personally," Rossi points out. "We only know what we got from the people he used to get fertilizer. He could be well established mentally as a bitter adult."

"He won't answer the phone, Dave. That's says tantrum to me," Emily insists.

"He plans this far more meticulously than a kid, Emily," Rossi counters.

Hotch holds up a hand. "Enough. You both have valid profile points. We'll know more about his state of mind if we can get him talking or Reid can get us some information. Rossi, text the girl we think is in the office. Hopefully her phone is close to her and even if Holmgren hears it Reid can play it off that it is probably Polevitsky's."

Rossi nods and steps away to type a text to the girl hiding in the office. Emily runs a hand through her hair, cussing her ankle. If she hadn't stepped in that fucking bear trap she could be the one in the jewelry store instead of Reid.

"Stop it, Emily," Morgan whispers. She turns to him. "You or Reid, it would still suck."

Emily sighs. "Jen's got to be so stressed out."

"Imagine if it was you in there."

"I am. She is, too." Emily takes a deep breath. "We haven't had a chance to talk today."

"Remedy that," he encourages. "We have about 5 minutes before Hotch initiates contact with the megaphone. Call her and settle both your hearts."

"What are you going to be doing?"

"Bethune is getting a copy of the building plans. We've got to plan an alternate entry in case negotiations fail. Reid used sign language to tell us where the other two bombs are. One is by the front door."

Emily thinks a second. "So…so you would go in, wouldn't you?" She shivers as he nods. "Deja fucking vu. Cyrus' compound is set to blow and you go after Reid. I was more scared after the bombing when I didn't know where you two were than I was at any other time. Don't you fucking scare me like that again, Derek," she warns him.

Morgan gives her a confident grin. "Who me? Scare you? Never."

Emily manages a smile as he walks off to meet up with Bethune. She takes a deep breath and steps away from those gathered around the command center and hits her wife's number on her phone.

* * *

"Jareau," JJ answers tersely, her eyes never leaving Reid's image on the screen.

"Hi, baby."

"Em!"

Garcia turns to JJ and gestures for her to take a breather to talk to Emily. The analyst will watch over Reid. JJ nods and stands, realizing how stiff her legs and back had become.

"Are you okay?"

Emily smiles. "I should be asking you that. God, Jen, I am so sorry you are having to watch Reid and…and…shit."

"Emily, you were right to ask me to say home. We both know that. And if I was there I'd be standing beside you as stressed as I am now so not too much different really."

"I guess not," Emily agrees. "Jen, I love you so much."

"I love you, too. Now that we have established that and we have established I would be stressed no matter what, let me further say your ankle injury is not your fault."

Emily frowns. "Did Morgan fucking text you?"

JJ chuckles at the indignation in the brunette's voice. "Of course not. I know you better than I know myself sometimes. Of course you're kicking yourself, figuratively speaking, for being outside on crutches instead of in the store wondering if you are going to blow up before meeting Maddie and Lucas."

Emily groans. "I'm an asshole when you put it that way."

"No you're not. You love Reid and you are not the only one in that parking lot wishing you could change places with him."

Emily studies the faces of Rossi, Hotch and Morgan. She chuckles. "You're right. I think you helped clear my head with that simple observation."

"Good. He needs us all with our minds clear. Mine, too. Your call has helped center me, too, sweetheart."

"I'm glad. The twins being good to you today?"

"As good as they can be. I think they are in a growth spurt again and are stealing even more room meant for my bladder," JJ reveals with a grin.

Emily chuckles. "Sorry, baby. Should I invest in Depends?"

"Might not be a bad idea," JJ jokes.

Emily takes a deep breath. "Looks like Hotch is ready to get things moving. I will call you as soon as Reid is safe."

JJ smiles at her wife's confidence. "Holding you to that. I love you, Em. Thank you so much for this call."

"No problem, baby. Love you, too."

Emily regretfully hits the End button and goes to see what the plans are to free Reid and the hostages.

* * *

Rossi thinks a moment before typing out a text to Leslie Tide.

_I am FBI agent David Rossi. Silence your phone before you answer me. Are you able to get out of the office without being seen or heard?_

He waits a second, praying the woman can respond. He sighs in relief when she does.

_No. I would have to leave the office to go to the backdoor and I could be seen._

Rossi thinks a second. _Can you crawl out?_

_No. Scared. Help us PLEASE!_

Rossi sighs. _We're doing our best, Leslie. I will be right here with you the whole time, okay? If you hear anything that could help us, let me know. We don't have sound from your security system so you can be our ears, okay?_

_Okay._

Rossi relays what he has found out to Hotch. Hotch nods.

"Keep her calm, Dave."

"I will."

Morgan, Bethune and Lindall walk up with the building blueprints. Morgan spreads them out on the hood of the SUV.

"We have a way in." He points to the roof. "If we can get the hood off the air duct vent we can lower down to the ducts in the jewelry store. I can make my way to the vent that looks out over the sales floor." He stares Hotch in the eye. "If needed I'd be in position to take the shot."

"We could…"

"No way," Lindall states. "Don't take offense, Morgan, but those vents won't support you. You're too heavy."

Almost as one, all five turn to stare at Emily. Morgan starts to shake his head.

"No way! Her ankle is fucked and if she has to run to get the fuck out of there or even use her legs to climb out she can't!"

"Her ankle is bruised, not broken," Hotch states. He thinks a second, ignoring the glare from Morgan. "We'll let her make the call. She'll know if she can risk Reid or not."

They watch as Emily hangs up the phone and crutches over to them. "So, what's the plan."

"Depends," Hotch says and shows her the way in through the vents. He takes a deep breath. "Morgan is too heavy to make the trek."

Emily is staring at the map when it hits her what he is trying not to ask. She slowly looks up into his eyes, her mind assessing her ankle.

"Fuck."

She hands a crutch to a reluctant Morgan and slowly puts her foot onto the ground. She takes a deep breath and puts her weight on it but immediately lifts it up. She takes another breath and tries again. This time she takes a step, grateful for the other crutch that keeps her from falling on her face. She turns and looks at Hotch, sorrow in her eyes.

"I can't put weight on it. I'd be a liability. I…I'm sorry."

Hotch pats her shoulder as Morgan hands back the second crutch. "Nothing to be sorry for Prentiss."

"Hotch, I stepped in a fucking bear trap! Know any other agents who have been sidelined by a fucking bear trap?" she asks angrily.

Rossi grins. "Actually, yes. Gideon. We were in the wilds of Montana tracking a cannibal. Guy had them laid out like a minefield to his front door."

Emily rolls her eyes. "You've been in the FBI too long, old man, if you know two agents downed by a bear trap," she mutters as she moves away to (figuratively again) kick herself once more.

Hotch turns back to the others. "Okay. Morgan, we have to risk you."

"No you don't," Lindall says and shrugs. "As much as it hurts a guy to admit it, I'm a good 30 pounds lighter than you, Morgan. If you promise not to drop me I can go down the chute."

Morgan studies the confident man. "Still know how to fire a gun or do I need to lower Rudy down for that, too."

Lindall chuckles. "I think I can handle the gun myself."

Morgan looks at Hotch. "We'll be on the roof. I'll let you know when we've got the hood off."

Morgan, Lindall and Bethune head off to get up on the rood. Rossi continues texting with Tide to keep her calm. Hotch looks at Emily.

"How do we let Reid know what's going on?"

Emily shrugs. "I don't know. Go ahead and make contact. I'll think about Reid."

"Good. Your mind has always been stronger than your body, Prentiss. Don't doubt that."

Emily gives him a slight smile. "Thank you, sir."

Hotch steps to the edge of the perimeter and lifts up the megaphone. "DARRYL HOLMGREN! THIS IS AGENT HOTCHNER OF THE FBI. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU. PLEASE PICK UP THE STORE PHONE WHICH WILL RING RIGHT TO ME OR COME TO THE DOOR SO WE CAN TALK."

Hotch, Rossi and Emily stare at the door, each holding their breaths.

* * *

Reid had not stopped trying to establish a rapport with Holmgren. He had taken a 5 minute break but is now ready to try again. This time he just wants answers he can try to relay to his team.

"Why fire?" he finally asks.

Holmgren looks at him. "What?"

"You could have shot her but you seem determined to kill her via fire. We had profiled that you wanted your target to participate in their death by playing with the toy. That's obviously not the case or you'd have her opening the box. If the death was all that mattered you would have shot her already. But it's the fire that means the most to you. Why?"

Holmgren just glares at Reid. "What the fuck does it matter why?"

"I'm a profiler. It's what we do. We want to understand you, not just arrest you. You've reached a point in your life that you felt these killings were all you had going for you. You found your calling: killing successful adoptees who didn't adopt others themselves. Maybe in understanding you we can help someone else before they reach this point in their lives."

Holmgren chuckles. "Help someone? How the hell do you help someone?"

"You'd be surprised how often the suspects we find just need help. We make sure they get it. Jail time isn't always a given. Many just get sent to a psychiatric ward until they are cured of their urges. I think that could happen for you, Mr. Holmgren."

"I ain't sick. I'm pissed."

"I know. But- -"

Before Reid can say more, Hotch's voice comes over the megaphone. Holmgren hurries to the door and eases back the blind enough to peek out. He turns to Reid.

"Know him?"

Reid nods. "He's my boss. He won't try to trick you."

"How do I know?"

"He won't risk me or Mrs. Polevitsky."

"Oh." He thinks a second. "So what should I do?"

"Pick up the phone and talk to him. Or put him on speaker if you don't want to have to stop pacing," Reid suggests.

Holmgren considers this a moment then walks to the phone and hits the speaker function.

"Hotchner?"

Hotch grabs the command phone that had been set up as a hotline. "Mr. Holmgren, thank you for speaking with me. I think we can agree we want this to end safely with no one else hurt."

"Maybe. This kid here says you can get me into a hospital instead of jail. That true?"

Emily frowns and moves closer to the speaker on the command phone. What is Reid trying to tell them? Or is he still just trying to get on Holmgren's good side?

Hotch replies to Holmgren. "That is true. There are instances where an underlying condition caused behavior that was uncharacteristic. We can evaluate you and find out how best to help you."

"And all you agents can do that?"

"Yes. Our team is trained to evaluate all aspects of a suspects mental abilities."

"Good." Holmgren is staring out the window at the three people with FBI across their chests. "This guy would say anything to save his ass. Send in the chick on the crutches and let's see if she says the same thing this guy has. Any changes and they both die!"

He hangs up the phone. Hotch and Emily exchange a look.

"Well, fuck," Emily mutters.

Hotch shakes his head. "We can't do that. We can't give him another hostage."

Suddenly an idea hits Emily. She keys her mic. "Morgan, how close are you to getting Lindall in place?"

"We just got the hood off and he is preparing to enter the vent."

"So he should be in place soon to cover Reid and me. Good."

"YOU?! What the hell are you talking about?"

Emily ignores him and turns to Hotch. "Call Holmgren back." She pulls out a pad and writes something down. "Tell him this. Make sure to use the exact designation for the code." Hotch reads it and lifts a brow. She rolls her eyes. "Trust me, sir."

Hotch picks up the phone.

In the store, Holmgren goes to the ringing phone and stabs the speaker function. "Why isn't she on her way?"

"Agent Prentiss will be entering shortly. However, according to regulation STTNG 5.5 pertaining to CP's hostage situation resolutions I cannot send in one person without one person coming out. It's called a show of faith, Mr. Holmgren. I have to insist you send out Ms. Polevitsky in return for Agent Prentiss."

"NO! NO! SEND OUT LESLIE!" Annabeth insists.

Holmgren glares at her as the collected FBI agents stiffen. "WHO'S LESLIE?"

"She is hiding in the office. She is young and scared. Let her go and I will stay. Please."

Hotch cusses under his breath. He had wanted Polevitsky out since Leslie Tide's presence hadn't been discovered.

Holmgren storms around the counter and drags the terrified girl out of the back room. He walks to the phone.

"The girl for the agent. NOW!"

He drags her over and shoves her out the front door.

Emily looks at Hotch. "Reid understands what you were saying. Trust that."

"I wish to hell I knew what I said," Hotch admits. "Be careful in there."

Emily nods, hands him her gun and starts across the parking lot.

* * *

Emily is right: Reid got it. He scans the room until he sees the vent in the wall behind the cash register. That is where rescue will come from.

Holmgren is staring out a slit in the door. When Emily gets close he steps back. She taps on the door.

"Get in here, Agent Prentiss!"

Emily opens the door and eases inside. He gestures to the wall.

"Against the wall. Spread 'em!"

Emily rolls her eyes and assumes the position. Holmgren pats her down. And steps back. Emily turns and leans back against the wall. He then looks at Polevitsky.

"Tape her like he is."

The jeweler's eyes are apologetic as she does as he orders. Emily gives her a confident smile. When the woman is finished, Emily looks at Holmgren from her spot on the wall. She can no longer hold her crutches so she is virtually pinned to the wall for the duration of this confrontation.

"Mr. Holmgren, my name is Emily Prentiss. I have a masters in criminal psychology and have studied the workings of the mind for many years. I understand you would like to speak to me about possible outcomes from this case."

Holmgren starts to pace. Emily chances a glance at Reid. He gives a nod to let her know he understood.

"If I kill that bitch can I still get a hospital instead of a prison?" Holmgren suddenly asks.

"No, sir. From this point forward any deaths by your hand would negate a diminished capacity defense."

"Fuck. She has to die, Agent!" he insists.

"She can't, Mr. Holmgren. Let's talk, shall we? I have a feeling we can come to a mutually agreeable ending to this standoff."

Holmgren nods and starts to tell Emily about the things in his youth that had shaped his desire for such violent revenge.

* * *

JJ feels like she is watching an old silent movie without the benefit of conveniently placed placards describing the scene. She starts to rub her eyes, wondering how much help she is really being.

"Oh my God!"

JJ looks up at Garcia's exclamation and then shoots straight up in her seat, her hand grabbing her phone.

"WHY IS EMILY IN THE JEWELRY STORE?!"

Rossi holds the phone away from his ear until the scream stops. "Reid told Holmgren he could get off on an insanity plea. He demanded Emily come in and evaluate him. If she says anything that strays from what Reid has said, well, it's over."

"Please, PLEASE let their mindmeld be working," JJ prays.

"Morgan has radioed that Lindall is down in the vents and carefully making his way towards the vent behind the register. He'll have an eagle eye view and a perfect shot should it become necessary."

JJ rubs her stomach. "Son of a bitch. Rossi…I…thank you for the information." She hangs up the phone. "Sometimes the job sucks."

Garcia smiles and pats JJ's hand. "Yeah it does. Don't worry, Jayje, by the time Geek Force 1 and Geek Force 2 are done with him he won't know what hit him."

JJ smiles and turns her attention back to the screen. Wishing once more she had sound to go with the video speed.

"Good luck, my nerdlings," she whispers.

* * *

Lindall creeps inch by inch, glad Morgan warned him to wear a breathing mask since the vent is filled with dust. Without the mask he'd be sneezing his head off. He wants to hurry to make sure the agents are protected but knows any strange noise could alert the freak with the bombs that there is someone in the vents.

"You became a bomb tech and end up crawling in the vents like a rat. Great career move," he whispers to himself.

Finally he is by the vent. He pulls out a small bottle of oil and carefully coats each vent slat. He then carefully maneuvers the slats until he gets his best view of the scene in the showroom. He keys his mic.

"I'm in place. So far seems the guy is listening to Prentiss. If that changes I have the shot."

"Good job, Lindall. Glad turns out you were just a jerk at the start of the investigation and not an unsub," Morgan says.

Lindall grins. "Thanks. I think."

Lindall brings his gun up to the vent slat and prepares to cover those in the showroom.

* * *

Two hours later, Emily finishes her talk with Holmgren.

"So you see, Darryl, your moral compass was irrevocably damaged. Your actions now are a direct result of your damaged childhood. How could you not want to turn the anger into violence when anger and violence were all you saw?" She steps closer to him. "We can definitely get you a diminished capacity plea bargain, we can get you the help you should have been given years ago, and you can start your life anew."

He stares at her a second. Just when Emily thinks she has not gotten through to him, he looks at Polevitsky.

"You said you tried to adopt?"

She nods nervously. "My husband has kidney issues. As such he was declared medically unfit to adopt. We even considered adopting from overseas but it was too expensive. We were starting this business and…and it was just too much money. But we have fostered children and they have known love. I am so, so sorry that you were not afforded that same courtesy in the homes you were placed in."

He stares at her a second longer then gestures to the door. "Get out."

"Wh- -what?"

"GO!" he yells.

Reid studies the man. Instead of being happy at possibly getting little to no punishment for the deaths he seems almost deflated. Something isn't right. He glances at Emily and sees she recognizes the fact, too. He also sees she is pale. She stiffens against the wall, wondering what Holmgren's next move will be and knowing her ankle will not be any help if she has to move quickly to protect herself or Reid.

Annabeth Polevitsky hurries to the door. She pauses as she opens it. "May…may I come visit you in jail? Maybe I can give you the mothering you should have been given years ago."

Holmgren gives her a sad smile. "We'll see. Thank you."

She hurries out of the building.

"Darryl, perhaps you can let Emily go now, too," Reid suggests.

Holmgren studies both agents. He walks over to the counter and picks up the bag containing the fourth bomb. He pulls the box out, turns and drops it in Reid's lap. The startled doctor nearly drops the box but manages to cradle it to his chest with his bound hands. Holmgren cocks his gun and aims it at the box and Reid, who scrambles to his feet with the explosive still in his arms.

"It's too late for me. It's too late for all of us."


	13. Chapter 13

Lindall curses under his breath: Reid is in his line of sight. Was he about to watch both agents and the suspect die?

"Morgan, Reid is in my way. Get him out of the way," he whispers urgently.

Morgan keys his FBI mic. "Prentiss, clear the vent. Repeat, clear the vent!"

Lindall waits for Emily to signal Reid but she doesn't get the chance.

* * *

Hotch listens to the exchange as police SWAT officers escort the store owner away from the building. He hurries to her.

"His mannerisms: what were they when he let you go?" he demands.

The shaking woman thinks a second. "I'd say…resigned. He knew it was over."

Hotch curses to himself and keys his mic. "Morgan, tell Lindall to take the shot. He's going to kill himself, Reid and Prentiss."

He turns to the captain. "Get the fire department ready. This place could be going up and taking my agents with it. We have to try to get to them before the flames do."

The captain hurries off to find his counterpart with the fire department. There was no need to point out the obvious to the FBI agent: if the bombs go, it will be too late to save the agents.

* * *

In the store, Emily tries desperately to regain control of the situation. "It's not too late, Mr. Holmgren. I swear, if I thought it was I would tell you. You can change and I will do everything in my power to help you. I swear. So how about you put that gun down and Reid puts down the bomb? Would that be okay?"

He shakes his head. "No."

Emily swallows. "Okay. Okay, nothing is put down. What do we- -"

"Shut up, bitch," he commands.

Emily bites her tongue. So far there had been no evidence that the unsub used remote detonators but now was not the time to test that; not while Reid held a bomb in his arms.

Holmgren studies the doctor. "So no one helped you when you were a kid?"

Reid swallows, not sure where this is going. "No. No one. Like you I had to fend for myself, hoping someone would take an interest in me. It didn't happen until I got to college. It sucked," Reid admits.

Holmgren keeps his gun on Reid as he glances at Emily. "What about her?"

Reid answers before Emily, gambling with her life and praying he hits a Royal Flush. "She grew up a privileged life and when she got old enough she adopted a son. His name is Henry and he's her world." Emily looks at Reid, stunned.

Holmgren's eyes narrow. "Prove it."

"Emily, show him your phone. Show him Henry."

Emily looks at their captor for permission. The man nods. She carefully reaches to her hip and grabs her phone. She fumbles a bit with it since her hands are still taped together but manages to pull up a picture of Henry and her at the Smithsonian. Though it makes her ill to show this man her son, she slowly hands the camera to him. He takes it and studies the picture then looks at Emily.

"No way you had a blonde kid."

"No, sir, I didn't give birth to him. But I couldn't love him more if I did," Emily states truthfully.

He considers this a moment. His thumb runs over the picture, seeing the love in her eyes and, more importantly, the love in Henry's eyes. He was a happy little boy with a happy life. "Get out."

"Uh, what?"

"Get out. You did the right thing. You shouldn't die."

Emily shakes her head. "No, not without Reid."

"Emily, go. I'll be okay. Darryl and I have a lot in common. We can keep talking."

"You've got a _bomb_ in your hand, Reid. I'm not leaving you."

"Emily. Go. For Henry."

Holmgren nods. "For Henry. Go. Before I change my mind." He hands Emily back her phone. "GO!"

Emily exchanges a look with Reid, who nods with more confidence than he feels. "I'll be okay, Emily."

Holmgren pulls out a pocket knife and cuts Emily's hands apart. She steadies herself on her crutches and takes a step towards the door. She pauses to say something else but Holmgren points the gun at her heart. She takes the hint. Holmgren eases the door open enough to let her out. She sees Hotch waiting by the perimeter as 4 SWAT officers hurry up to cover her escape from the store. She glances back once, wishing she knew what the hell was going on back there.

"Fuck," Emily mutters as she makes her way to Hotch to find out what will happen next.

* * *

JJ sighs in relief as she rubs her stomach again. "Oh, thank God. Your mother scared the crap out of me but she's safe, Babies. I promise you she is safe."

Garcia just pats JJ's hands as the two wait expectantly to see what will happen to Reid.

* * *

"I had a rough life but I don't want to die," Reid says to Holmgren.

Holmgren leans against the counter. "Everything she said is true, isn't it?"

Reid nods. "Yes. You were dealt a shitty hand. But things can get better, Darryl. I had my own mother committed and thought my life would be shit. Then I got help, the same sort of help Emily and I are offering you. Even Mrs. Polevitsky is willing to help you. Things don't have to end this way."

"Open it."

"What?"

"Open the box and pull out the toy." Holmgren steps to Reid and cuts the tape around his wrists. "Open it," he says again.

Reid carefully peels off the tape and opens the lid. He pulls out a Playskool Poppin' Pals Toy, similar to one Rocky has. He shivers at the familiarity of the toy that he knows hides a deadly secret.

"Press the button for the Panda in the middle and boom," Holmgren tells Reid. "It's amazing, really. Adults kill themselves because they can't resist playing with a toy that they had in their childhood, wish they had in their childhood or…or just think is neat. They kill themselves and anyone around them." He takes a deep breath. "Get out."

Reid recognizes the look in Holmgren's eyes. "You don't have to end it this way."

"I do. I'm tired, Agent Reid. Very tired. And now…now I feel so guilty that I blamed those people. You will tell their families, yes?"

Reid nods. He knows he needs to get the bomb out of the store and knows Morgan is in the vent and will not allow Holmgren to commit suicide.

"I'll tell them."

Holmgren nods towards the door. "Go on, Agent."

Reid starts towards the door then stops. "It's Dr, Reid, actually."

Holmgren smiles, almost looking happy for the first time. "Apologies, Dr. Reid. Sorry I tested you earlier by seeing if Agent Prentiss said what you did."

Reid smiles. "Understandable."

Reid glances to the vent, trying to telegraph to Morgan what will happen if he doesn't act. The young doctor then reluctantly walks out the door. As soon as he hears the gun shot he places the bomb device on the ground, turns and races back into the jewelry shop.

Holmgren writhes in pain on the ground, a hole in his right shoulder, rendering his gun arm useless. Reid grabs the gun and holds the man at bay.

"Darryl Holmgren, you are under arrest. Nice shot, Morgan," Reid says towards the vent.

"Morgan nothing. His fat ass didn't fit. Now get what's left of the vent cover off so I don't have to climb out the way I got it," Lindall says as Reid chuckles at the thought of Morgan being fat.

SWAT officers storm in and secure Holmgren as Hotch and Reid help Lindall out of the vent. Hotch pats him on the shoulder.

"Nice job. Now there's a kid's toy being watched by two cops who will probably prefer Rudy to handle it."

Lindall smiles and nods. "My pleasure."

As they walk out, Reid walks over to Emily and gives her a hug. "Nice clue about the vent. I am so glad you're okay."

"I am so happy you are, too, Reid."

"And I want to know what the hell I said to you," Hotch interjects.

Reid smiles and turns to Hotch. "Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 5. Captain Picard has to use the vent system of the Enterprise to rescue himself and 3 children while also saving the Enterprise which has struck a quantum filament. Multiple members of the crew were having to do things to save the ship but I knew when you mentioned 'CP' that Emily was telling me rescue was coming via the vents."

Hotch looks from Reid to Emily then back again. He slowly shakes his head. "I'm not sure which one of you scares me more."

Emily and Reid laugh as Hotch walks up to Rossi. He obviously explains the cryptic message. Rossi looks at the two geeks, rolls his eyes and walks away.


	14. Chapter 14

"Emily!"

"Hi, sweetheart. Wanted to call you sooner but there was so much to deal with on scene," Emily says.

"No problem. We watched you get released and all that went on afterwards on the security cameras. Is Reid okay mentally?"

"I think so. I mean, this might stick with us all a few days because it just made no sense but he was stopped before he could kill more and, truthfully, I think he has come to regret his actions. Reid spoke to his lawyer and Holmgren wants Reid and I to talk to him more once his sentencing is done."

"Does he know he's not getting a mental health facility?" JJ asks.

Emily shrugs. "I don't know. Probably not yet. I mean, not officially. Something tells me he knows he's going to prison but I think he's just happy that someone finally showed him some motherly concern."

"You?"

"Nope. Polevitsky. Before she walked out she asked if she could visit him and act as a mother to him." Emily sighs. "I think it's the first time he's seen someone look at him with compassion in many years. Maybe ever."

"Wow. Stockholm?"

"I don't think so. Rossi spoke with her and he seems to think she really wants to help him. Some people really do have good hearts. This job can make you forget that sometimes."

"Yeah, it can," JJ agrees. "So, you coming home tonight or tomorrow."

"Tonight. Late. Plane leaves at 10. Should get me to the house around 1."

JJ smiles. "Is it bad that I'm excited to see you no matter what time it is?"

Emily grins. "Not at all, sweetheart. Oh, and I am to tell you Morgan is driving me so you don't worry about me driving with a bad ankle."

"Tell him I'll buy him chocolates."

Emily chuckles. "Already did. Let me help the guys finish packing up. I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you, too."

Emily hangs up and starts to pack up the file box in front of her. Hotch walks in and glances at her.

"I just spoke with McGarvey. He's going to keep Eddie at the beach this weekend. The locals plan to make sure his house is ready for his return Sunday afternoon."

Emily smiles. "Excellent. Maybe we can- -" She pauses as her personal phone alerts her to a text. She opens it and starts to smile. "Beautiful!"

"Jen send a pic of the baby bump?" Morgan teases.

Emily chuckles. "No, smartass." She turns her phone to the others. "Guys, meet Annabelle Marie LaMontagne."

The guys hurry over and look at the picture of the newborn baby. Hotch grins and takes Emily's phone for a closer look.

"She's beautiful," he says.

"Yeah, she is. Henry is going to be so happy to meet his new little sister. To that end, I'll need a day off, Hotch. I promised to fly Henry down when she was born. Will's cousin will bring him home in a week."

"Emily, it's the weekend, why do you need a day off?" Morgan asks.

"Because it is going to hurt like hell to get us both down there with my ankle. I'll need a day to recover," she admits.

"I could take him," Reid offers.

Emily looks at him. "Seriously?" Reid nods. She smiles and nods. "Okay. Thanks, Reid. Stay the night and have some fun with your friend Ethan. I'll pitch in for a hotel near where he plays."

"Cool! Thanks, Em." He looks at Hotch. "I'll need Emily's day off."

Hotch chuckles. "You have it. Come on, let's finish up here then go check out of the hotel, get something to eat and maybe see if the plane can take off before 10."

"Sounds good to me," Rossi states as they all continue to pack up the conference room.

They are nearly done when Garcia calls. "I figured out how he found the people to send fertilizer to. He worked part time at a shop that printed funeral programs for a bunch of funeral homes in the state."

"So they were like a resume telling him who was alone and had no family close by to keep their eyes on them," Hotch concludes.

"Yep."

"So then he plays kind handyman until he sees if they could fit his needs," Rossi finishes. "We'll need to find out if he had fertilizer sent to other locations."

"The police can follow that line of investigation. Next time we speak with him it will be for our files," Hotch decides looking at Emily and Reid, who nod. "Good work, Garcia. I'll let the investigators know."

"Alright. Sending the info to them now. Garcia over and out."

The team finishes packing up the room. Time to head home.

* * *

Emily eases down and kisses Henry on the forehead. His eyes flutter open and he smiles.

"I gots a new sister!"

Emily smiles. "I know. She is pretty. And guess what? Uncle Spence is going to take you down to see her tomorrow."

He smiles and gives her a hug. "Cool!" He leans back. "And when I get home you teach me to ride my bike?"

Emily's heart flutters. "You bet, Champ. As long as it's not snowing or too cold we can start bike riding lessons."

He hugs her again and then lies down. "Sing, Mama."

"Of course, son."

She tucks him in and starts to sing. By the time she finishes the second song he requested, he is asleep. She kisses him once more.

"I love you so much, Henry."

She pats Alaska on the head and pulls herself to her feet and crutches her way down to Rocky's room. She chuckles when she sees the little girl laying width-wise across the bed, her arms hanging off one side, her feet off the other. Her blankets are a mass on the ground with Sergio curled up on them. She eases to her knees and pats the cat's head.

"Nice nest, buddy, but I'm going to have to put them back on your pal."

She gets the grunting girl turned right way around in the bed and covers her up. Sergio curls up by Rocky's feet.

"Watch it, Serg, or she'll kick you."

She leans over and kisses Rocky's forehead. "I love you, Roxanne." She sings the little one a lullaby…getting a grunt of thanks in return. She smiles. "Getting too much like your Mommy, little one."

Giving her one more kiss, she gets up and makes her way to the master bedroom. By the light of the winter moon filtering into the bedroom she drinks in the golden beauty in the bed. JJ's head is turned towards Emily's pillow, her left hand up by her head. Her right hand rubs slow circles over her stomach, as if soothing her babies to sleep. Emily sighs with love and contentment.

"So beautiful," she whispers.

She gets changed and ready for bed as quietly as possible. She climbs into bed and JJ immediately scoots closer. Emily knows her wife has to stay on her back right now so she cuddles closer. JJ's hand moves to the brunette's cheek to caress it. Emily breathes in the scent that will always mean love to her and smiles.

"Ah…home."

She closes her eyes and falls asleep in loves embrace.

* * *

**A/N: So, there you have it. Last case we saw Emily getting back to her kick butt ways and this case we see her mind is as scary good as ever...and we see she is one of the sexiest damn nerds in the FBI. :o)**

**Hope you enjoyed the ride. Stay tuned for a little fluff up next that leads to a tough case for the team as a whole. (Yep, have 2 planned out at the moment!) See you as soon as work allows! **

**AR**


End file.
